Leeds United reject £15m offer with ‘not for sale’ message to winger’s suitors

Everton have had their £15m bid for Wilfried Gnonto rejected by Leeds United. The 49ers Enterprises group, who are taking over the club, see the Italian striker as a vital part of their plans for next season and the offer from the Toffees is not enough to change that.

Gnonto still has four years left on his deal at Leeds, which gives the club confidence they can keep him beyond the transfer deadline.

Gnonto may have had some ups and downs and limited game time in the final part of last season, but he scored four goals in seven games between early January and early February and caught the attention of many.

The club believe, after what he did to Premier League defenders, Gnonto can be a regular game-changer in the second tier.

Gnonto is due to return to pre-season training at Thorp Arch tomorrow, after a late start because of international duty, but he has not asked for a move away while he has been off.

The £15m bid from Everton, first reported by the Daily Mail, would have more than tripled what Leeds paid for Gnonto last September.

When Victor Orta signed the unknown youngster from FC Zurich the fee was reportedly just under £4m, which looked like a bargain after Gnonto’s displays.

It is not clear if Sean Dyche’s team will come back with another offer, but incoming chairman Paraag Marathe, chief executive Angus Kinnear and the new board are determined to hang onto the teenager if possible.

Leeds fans will hope to see Gnonto in action for the first time in York next Saturday when they play Monaco in a friendly.