Leeds United favourite watches on as Pep Guardiola holds national team talks three years after Man City tip

Leeds United fan-favourite Willy Gnonto could get the chance to play under one of the world’s best managers amid reports of talks between Pep Guardiola and the Italian national team.

Gnonto has endured a frustrating few years at international level thanks in part to similar frustrations in West Yorkshire. The 22-year-old has not earned a senior cap since the month after Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in 2023 and has been in and out of Daniel Farke’s side.

Only four of Gnonto’s 23 Premier League appearances last season came from the start and Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup ended any faint hope of a major tournament chance. It also spelled the end for national team boss Gennaro Gattuso, who left in April after 10 months in charge.

Now according to Sky Sports in Italy, the Italian Football Federation has held talks with recent Manchester City exit Guardiola regarding the national team head coach position. Discussions are believed to have taken place in Barcelona recently and while it remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached, there is hope.

For Gnonto to have any hope of a national team return, he must first find a way to play regular football but a call-up under Guardiola would be an incredible opportunity. It would also bring to life an interesting prediction made by Gary Neville way back in 2023.

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Gnonto showed plenty of potential during his first year in Leeds, scoring twice in games against West Ham and Manchester United. Then just 19 years old, the Italian regularly stood out during a dismal campaign for the Whites all-round, catching Neville’s eye during a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in January.

“Leeds fans won’t like me for saying this but when you look at a player like Gnonto and how Manchester City play by playing those little passes into those midfield runners,” Neville told Sky Sports at the time. “He just looks like a Manchester City winger.

“Leeds fans won’t like me saying that because I’m not selling him off. I’m sure they want to see him for another few years at Leeds United. He looks really, really good. So mature in his decision-making.”

Manchester City were, of course, managed at the time by Guardiola with Gnonto’s intelligence and intricate style clearly a good fit for the iconic manager. He will hope to prove that point should an appointment be made by the Italian national team.

It remains to be seen if Gnonto will continue his club-level football at Leeds beyond this summer, with the lack of regular football an obvious frustration. As a £3.8million signing back in 2022, he is among a group of fringe players who would generate profit at Elland Road while he might feel a move is needed to enjoy game-time.