Defeat to Southampton at Wembley not only denied Leeds United a place in the Premier League next season, it also raised fears of a summer exodus from Elland Road.
Even the most rose-tinted Leeds United supporter probably accepted a long time ago that, if promotion was not secured, the Championship’s Player of the Year would likely be saying his farewells.
Crysencio Summerville appears to have outgrown England’s second tier, and there is likely to be no shortage of clubs – Aston Villa among them – willing to hand the free-scoring Dutchman his chance in the top-flight.
Willy Gnonto, a place in Italy’s 2026 World Cup squad in his sights, is likely to be at the centre of speculation too. The chances look pretty high, then, that Leeds will find themselves in the market for a winger or two, replacements required with neither Summerville nor Gnonto likely to have too much of an appetite for another season visiting Preston, Middlesbrough and Blackburn.
Leeds United mayy lose Summerville and Gnonto
Nicolas Gonzalez, however, moved out of Leeds’ reach a long time ago. Linked via The Guardian back in 2020 when he was valued at £15 million and playing second-tier football with Stuttgart in Bundesliga.2, the Argentina international has been on a very different trajectory to the Yorkshire giants over the last few seasons.
The silky Argentina international is pulling the strings at Fiorentina these days. And, ahead of La Viola’s latest European heartbreak – losing 1-0 to Olympiakos in the Conference League final in Athens – Gonzalez was recommended to Manchester City in the event that Bernardo Silva opts to pursue a fresh start.
The mere mention of Gonzalez in the same breath as ‘Bubblegum Bernardo’ is testament to how much progress the Fiorentina schemer has made since Leeds expressed their interest during the height of the Marcelo Bielsa era.
“Nicolas Gonzalez is a player that can go on to unbelievably high levels,” former Liverpool, Everton and Scotland midfielder turned Serie A fanatic Don Hutchison tells TNT Sport.
“If Bernardo Silva was ever to knock on Pep Guardiola’s door and think ‘it is time for me to move on’, I think he should be seriously looking at Gonzalez.
“He is very similar to Silva. Silva has more consistency in his game, but when you look at talent… He plays off the right-hand side, he is a left-footed player, he is very good in the air. (Gonzalez) is quite light, very skilful, a high-level football IQ, but he is brilliant in the air.
“He gets in and he scores important goals, but he is a very intelligent player.”
More European heartbreak for Fiorentina
Gonzalez scored 15 goals and set up five more for Fiorentina in 2023/24. Leeds, meanwhile, are not the only English club who tried and failed to lure the 26-year-old over the Channel.
The Guardian reports that Brighton and Hove Albion agreed a £25 million deal before the move collapsed. Brentford made a club-record £35 million move of their own last summer, only for Gonzalez to stay put again (Daily Mail).
And, after a second successive European final defeat, the former Stuttgart talisman may still feel he has unfinished business in Florence.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
