Expert scout reveals how Leeds United signing wowed Roberto Mancini and transfer clause claim

Leeds’ summer business was concluded an hour after the transfer deadline with the addition of 18-year-old Italian international Willy Gnonto.

The teenager arrived from Swiss Super League outfit FC Zürich, who lifted the title in the Alpine nation last season.

Formerly with Italian giants Internazionale, Gnonto switched Serie A for Switzerland at the age of 16, making just shy of 75 appearances for the club before securing his Premier League switch.

Swiss Head Researcher for Football Manager and professional scout Oliver Zesiger has spoken to the YEP about United’s newest addition, offering his expert opinion on the attacking player who remains something of an unknown quantity.

"I think technically he is a very good player. He has a burst of acceleration. He is small but not weak. Physically he has a certain type of body that's enough for the Premier League. He does have dribbling capabilities to beat the man and to go past the man combined with his acceleration,” Zesiger says.

"He learned German, good German, in like six-to-eight months – that's impressive, and he studied Latin which today is quite unusual.”

Head coach Jesse Marsch’s first encounter with the teenage forward left the American impressed with Gnonto’s grasp of English and German, as well as his native Italian.

Given the speed at which Gnonto’s transfer was expedited on transfer deadline day, there are still unanswered questions over where the ex-Zürich man will play, however – and at which level.

Zesiger believes Gnonto is best as a supporting striker, playing in the hole behind the centre-forward.

"Second striker, because you need to have a direct goal threat, which you usually don't have on the wing,” he says.

"He's not made to be a centre forward, yet [due to his size]. But as a second striker, because he can face the goal, he can play off the centre-forward, do one-twos and pass the ball to wing players and arrive late in the box, I think that's his best position.”

"There are some flaws in his game like decision making which is obvious for an 18-year-old [although] his is above average for an 18-year-old. He's played [for Zürich] 75 times, yes that's true, but look at the minutes, he was mostly used as a sub. And he did really well last season, he changed some games for them because, I think you will know Zürich became champions, out of nowhere it was a sensational title and Willy Gnonto was crucial in this by coming on late in the game and in most [games] scoring a winner or an important goal for Zürich.

"He is better on the ball than off the ball, but overall, he is a very good player,” Zesiger adds.

Gnonto arrived for an undisclosed fee, although reports in Italy state the youngster cost United 4.5 million euros. At that price, the Swiss expert is of the opinion that Gnonto’s Leeds move is a low-risk deal.

“Zürich’s chairman wanted ten million for him. I'm talking 10 million euros which would be 8 million pounds. And it's unlikely that he gets this amount, because Willy Gnonto only had one year of his contract [remaining].

“I think it's a good deal for Zürich and for Leeds because 4.5 million for Leeds [as] a Premier League club, if it doesn't work out you just write it off, it's not a lot of money. If it works out, [they have] totally underpaid for a great talent.

"There are some clauses involved, sell-on clause and clauses in case of success which could well push the fee towards that 10 million euro amount that the President wants. I believe that the clauses are based on the standings in the table. I don't know the exact amount. And I believe that the sell-on clause will be somewhere between ten and twenty per cent.”

Despite his tender age and an absence of experience in Europe’s top five leagues, Gnonto is already a full Italian international, having impressed Roberto Mancini during a training camp earlier this year.

"[Italy boss] Mancini invited between 40 and 50 players to training camp to spot some new players and to see what they can do,” Zesiger tells the YEP.

"And from that training camp he called up Willy Gnonto for the Nations’ League, because he did so well in this training camp, so he has the approval of respected coaches as well.”