Leeds United player exit on brink of collapse as club receives ‘alarming’ update

Leeds United have welcomed five new recruits to the team this summer after their latest signing of Joël Piroe from Swansea City. They’ve also let go of a few key names following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

The Whites cashed in on Tyler Adams, Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts, who have all moved on to new clubs, while six other players have gone out on loan and two came to the end of their contracts last month. There are still some other outgoings expected before the transfer window slams shut in a weeks’ time.

One man heavily linked to an Elland Road exit is Wilfried Gnonto, despite only joining Leeds last September. Everton had been the front-runners for his signature and the 19-year-old seemed set on a move back up to the Premier League. So much so, that he was training separately from the main group and had handed in a transfer request.

Leeds stood firm on their stance that Gnonto was not for sale this summer, particularly with four years still left on his contract, but Everton remained keen on striking a move. That was, however, until a spate of recent updates may have shot any chance of a deal dead in the water.

Gnonto has returned to training with the rest of the Leeds first-team squad while according to The Times, Leeds are looking for a transfer fee of £40 million for Gnonto, which is proving difficult for the Toffees due to their current financial struggles. An ‘alarming’ update has emerged stating that MSP Sports Capital, who were looking to purchase a 25 per cent stake in the Merseyside club, has withdrawn its offer.

Everton have a very tight transfer budget right now and splashing out £40 million on one player will certainly be out of the question for them as they tackle their current struggles. So far this summer, they’ve brought in four new signings — two on loan, one through a free transfer, and they’ve spent £15 million on Chermiti.