'Thank God for Gnonto' - Leeds United chairman reveals ex-Man United coach caused transfer 'crisis'

The Dutch forward signed for Liverpool in January but according to Radrizzani was close to a Leeds switch last summer before a deadline day transfer fell through. Director of football Victor Orta had travelled to Eindhoven in order to finalise the move, while Leeds’ majority shareholder had spoken with the player’s father about the prospective transfer.

Speaking on the ‘Croquetas!’ podcast, newly-appointed DAZN board member Radrizzani said: “This year we were very close to getting Gakpo on the last day of the [summer] market. I talked to his father, it was all done with PSV but then unfortunately Van Gaal [Netherlands coach at the time] called and advised not to leave Eindhoven so he would go to the World Cup. From Qatar then he was already worth 20 million more.”

In Gakpo’s place, teenage forward Willy Gnonto was signed and has emerged as an important first-team player at Elland Road. The chairman is delighted with the young Italian’s progress and particularly grateful for the timing of his transfer.

"Gnonto was planned for the January market. Thank God he arrived before that. I am very proud of him.

"We wanted to take him to sign him on the first of February for June, or with a transaction with Zurich for the January market, then this crisis situation in the last days of the market, we decided to anticipate and found an agreement with Zurich.

"It's difficult to find a 19-year-old Italian who speaks four languages well and is open-minded like he is,” Radrizzani added.

Gnonto has scored four goals in a Leeds shirt, including a spectacular strike against Cardiff City in the Whites’ FA Cup Third Round replay at Elland Road. His acquisition at £3.8 million represents one of the club’s more cost-effective transfers during Radrizzani’s tenure.