What’s the latest on Wilfried Gnonto to Everton?

Understandably, the focus has been on patching up a frontline with more semblance to a blunted instrument than a

whetted spearhead, with the Toffees narrowly avoiding Premier League relegation last term, scoring more goals (34)

than only Wolverhampton Wanderers (31).

Exciting, but young striker Youssef Chermiti has been signed for £15m from Sporting Lisbon, while Arnaut Danjuma

and Jack Harrison have penned loan deals with the Goodison Park side.

According to Sky Sports, the Toffees have been in discussion with Leeds United regarding the transfer of Wilfried

Gnonto; the latest of four official transfer bids is believed to total £25m, with the Whites reiterating their stance that

the Italy international, aged 19, is unequivocally not for sale.

Dyche is clearly keen to bring the Italian gem to Goodison Park this month.

What position is Wilfried Gnonto?

There has been a litany of issues for Everton vis-a-vis Gnonto’s signature, with a succession of offers proving fruitless

thus far as Leeds, freshly relegated from the top-flight, put their best efforts into retaining their talented squad.

Hopes at Elland Road for a true blue show of support have gone awry, with a raft of first-team players departing the

club – including Harrison to Everton.

There is evidently a reluctance to part with a player heralded as a “firework” by pundit Noel Whelan for his energy

and effervescence on the ball, but then Leeds have fallen and this is the reality of sliding down the ladder.

Gnonto has made it crystal-clear that he wants to pursue a move away, however, and the Whites may well decide to

cash in now on a player with no desire to remain at a side in desperate need of some cohesion and uniformity after a

testing period, and as the transfer market approaches the business end Everton could sign their man.

Signing from FC Zurich for £4m last summer, Gnonto only scored four goals and assisted four more in his first

season in English football, but made a remarkable impression with his ferocious gliding gait and “electric pace”, as

claimed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also hailed the 12-cap Italian as an “absolute nightmare for defenders”.

Ranking among the top 25% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year

for assists, the top 18% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for blocks per 90, as per FBref, Gnonto is growing into

a phenom with a bundle of creativity, a directness and tenacity that sets him up for a prosperous career.

With just two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining, Everton’s squad is taking shape – but manager Sean

Dyche is still hoping for further reinforcements

Everton are also interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain’s talent forward Hugo Ekitike this summer, with Fabrizio

Romano confirming this month that Everton are exploring a €35m (£30m) deal for the 21-year-old Frenchman,

starting on an initial loan.

Like Gnonto, Ekitike scored four goals and assists apiece last season, though he did so with the free-flowing French

champions, not beleaguered Leeds.