Troy Deeney tips Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto to contend for the 2022/23 Young Player of the Year award. He would be only the second Whites player to win the PFA gong.
The Italian has produced a strong first season in the Premier League since moving to Elland Road in September. Gnonto has offered the West Yorkshire outfit two goals and one assist through 12 appearances. He has also started 10 games and has played 90 minutes in eight.
Jesse Marsch brought Gnonto to England at the end of the summer sales in a £4m transfer from FC Zurich. The 19-year-old also penned a five-year contract at Elland Road. While the Swiss outfit accepted a cut-price fee as the Italy ace had entered the final year of his deal.
Gnonto is now a vital part of Leeds’ push to avoid relegation from the Premier League. He has also struck two goals over two FA Cup ties after his brace to beat Cardiff City in a third-round replay. While his top-flight goals came against West Ham and at Manchester United.
Even when the eight-cap Italy winger has not influenced the scoring, Gnonto has produced some electrifying touches. Javi Gracia will also now hope the forward’s threat running with the ball carries on after he took over. But, mostly, he will want to further his end product.
Deeney tips Leeds star Gnonto to contend for the Young Player of the Year award
Deeney is looking forward to seeing what his former Watford manager, Gracia, can achieve with Leeds. The Spaniard immediately impressed the striker after taking charge at Vicarage Road in January 2018. He admired how Gracia flourished after jumping in at the deep end.
Now, Gracia is in charge of a Leeds team Deeney admires and with one Young Player of the Year contender in Gnonto. He would be just the second Whites player to win the PFA gong after Harry Kewell in 1999/2000. Gnonto would also be the first Italian to clinch the award.
“Imagine what [Gracia] can do now at a huge club with a very good team,” Deeney wrote in his column for The Sun.
“And that’s what he has with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, a contender for Young Player of the Year at the end of the season, the American boys Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie and winger Jack Harrison.”
The PFA first introduced its Young Player of the Year award in 1973/74 and have given out 49 titles. English players have won it 36 times to six Welsh players. While Scottish, French, Australian (in Kewell), Portuguese, Spanish, Belgian and German players have won it once.
The Premier League also introduced its own Young Player of the Year award from 2019/20. Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool won the maiden title before Manchester City gem Phil Foden won two. Players must be 23 or younger to win it, or 21 and under for the PFA title.
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