Simon Jordan slams Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto

Wilfried Gnonto has been slammed by former Crystal Palace chief Simon Jordan amid his unwillingness to play.

Gnonto was a favourite among Leeds fans last season following his arrival on the cheap, but he is quickly becoming one of the least popular people in Yorkshire after refusing to play for the club following the first game of the season. Gnonto decided not to play in the Carabao Cup and also refused to play in the Championship defeat to Birmingham City over the weekend.

Daniel Farke confirmed when asked about the Italy international: “I want a group fully focused and committed. This club is bigger than any player or manager or board member. I’m not begging anyone ‘Please play for us’. The club is too big. If a player doesn’t want to be with us then they can train alone and use their own dressing room. I need players who are fully committed to defend the shirt.”

On the back of those comments, and on the back of a club statement that confirmed Gnonto’s reluctance to play, former Palace chief turned talkSPORT pundit Jordan has said: “A player signs a contract for two reasons. One, because it preserves their livelihood, the other, because it preserves the club’s position to either hold the player to a contract or subsequently sell him.

“Often you get into a situation where one party, and often it’s the player, can’t get what he wants, in this case it is Gnonto . It is really poor. The PFA should be on the front foot saying it’s poor, that one of their members, because he doesn’t get what he wants, can suggest that he’s not in the right frame of mind to play.”

Continuing his attack on Gnonto, Jordan added: “I mean, God forbid that he ever actually has any real adversity in his life.

“Because it’s such a terrible thing that he is having to stay at a massive football club like Leeds and pick up a really decent salary. What kind of characters are these people? Pull on the shirt, get on with it. Have some substance.”