Leeds United will hope the amount of outgoings that have happened already this hectic transfer window doesn't derail their Championship season completely, after a less-than-ideal opening few games back in the testing division.
Largie Ramazani's recent arrival onto the scene in West Yorkshire will have raised spirits, away from the doom and gloom mood that had engulfed proceedings after the quick fire departures of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, as Daniel Farke attempts to steer the Whites to another promotion charge with what he has at his disposal.
Wilfried Gnonto will be important to Leeds' chances of winning promotion, if he stays put between now and the imminent close of the transfer window, away from any more new faces joining.
Gnonto's time at Leeds
Gnonto has had an up-and-down relationship with the hardened Leeds masses, with the Italian attacker once handing in a transfer request to try and push through a move back up to the Premier League, after the Whites suffered a disastrous relegation.
There are new murmurs in the air that the former FC Zurich man is clamouring for a top-flight return now, but with the amount of high-profile departures that have already taken place this summer irritating the agitated Whites fanbase, it feels unlikely another star would be allowed to walk away.
Last season, despite the start of it centring in on Gnonto's refusal to play, the electric 20-year-old very much played his part in Farke's men making the playoffs, with the diminutive forward picking up eight goals and two assists across the regular campaign.
Those ten goal contributions followed on from the youngster acting as a bright spark in the top-flight for Leeds, even as relegation started to stare the West Yorkshire outfit in the face, with two goals and four assists managed from 34 Premier League games.
Gnonto already has more goals donning Leeds white this season, even in its relative infancy, with this solo strike trickling in against Portsmouth opening his 2024/25 account, as the Italian continues to live up to his billing as being a "special" talent that was once handed out to him by former Whites coach Michael Skubala.
Farke and Co will pray that their new recruit Ramazani can become their next Gnonto for the Championship promotion candidates over time, with a high reported fee of £9.3m to win his services making him an expensive buy from Spain.
The standout Whites number 29 would only cost a meagre £3.8m back in 2022, in contrast, with his valuation now above that of the ex-Almeria winger's, according to Football Transfers, showcasing how the club truly won the lottery on that bargain capture two years ago.
Gnonto's value in 2024
As per the site, the 5 foot 8 attacker is now worth a bumper £18.4m, which is nearly double the reported fee Leeds have paid to snap up Ramazani.
Gnonto was once an unknown entity when it came to the English game, but the £3.8m once spent by Leeds now looks to be an absolute bargain, especially when you consider his increased importance as a livewire in an entertaining Whites group that used to boast the likes of Summerville and Rutter.
Player
Value
1. Wilfried Gnonto
£18.4m
2. Brenden Aaronson
£17.3m
3. Ethan Ampadu
£17.3m
4. Ilian Meslier
£16.3m
5. Maximilian Wober
£14.2m
With that sumptuous duo now both at West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively, Gnonto is actually the most valuable asset at Elland Road currently, when looking at the table above, with the powers that be at Leeds anxious that he could try and push through a last-minute move before the close of August to ditch the Championship side.
Ramazani will have been purchased to give Leeds some needed firepower, having fired in three goals last season for Almeria in La Liga, but it would be an extreme ask for him to be the main man if Gnonto does depart.
The former Manchester United youngster already has that high £9.3m price tag above his head that could work against him, but everyone at Leeds will hope he can shine this season alongside Gnonto remaining put.
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