Everton boss Sean Dyche has revealed just how close his side were to signing Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds United.
It was no secret that the Italian’s plans were to leave Yorkshire this summer. He was even refusing to play games for the club, and ended up training away from the first team for a period of time.
Between Leeds’ first game of the season, against Cardiff City, and their impressive win against then-Championship leaders Ipswich Town, he didn’t feature in any games for 20 days.
But the summer transfer window has now closed, Gnonto is still a Leeds player, and Everton weren’t able to get the man that they’d been pushing for all summer long.
The Toffees were able to bring in another striker: Beto. The Portuguese forward has been impressive in his first two games for the club. He scored on his debut in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers. He was also influential in his team’s point-saving goal against Sheffield United in yesterday’s early kickoff.
The Everton manager has said that the deal wasn’t close to being completed during the latter stages of the window, despite a deal reportedly being agreed for him on deadline day. When asked if the Toffees had looked to make a late move for the 19-year-old, or any other wing options, he said “We weren’t close enough to any situation.”
Dyche referred to the financial state that the club is in, and that it is “apparent” that Everton are not in the same place that they were a few years ago. It seems, then, that the Toffees just weren’t able to fund a move for the young Italian.
This isn’t an unfamiliar position for Dyche. When he was at Burnley, he was often cash-strapped. He must be looking at the current state, and spending, of his former club with a frustrated side-eye.
“I have always thought you ‘manage what you can manage’ and manage the realities. They are the realities,” said the Everton boss.
“When everyone is fit and you look at our group, you go ‘right there’s still some very, very good players’ here and a number of them,” he added.
“I believe in what is here and the players that are here. So far this season, I believe we have delivered way better than we have got back.”
Is Wilfried Gnonto staying at Leeds United a good or bad thing for the club?
There are two ways of looking at this. On the one hand, you have a very talented young player who has a long-term contract with the club. No matter how many strikes he goes on, Leeds have the ultimate say on where he is playing football for the foreseeable future.
He’s come back into the team and been effective, and they could certainly do with him after losing Luis Sinisterra on a season-long loan to AFC Bournemouth. But Leeds are basically holding damaged goods.
Every club that is looking at him knows that he doesn’t want to be there – and United will know that too. He’s likely not going to be as motivated to play for the club, now, as he was a few months ago.
If he doesn’t help Leeds challenge for promotion, they may not get as much money for him again. And it wouldn’t be a shock if he secures a January move away, although the Italian will need to impress to give himself the best chance of sealing an Elland Road exit.