Good Morning. It's Friday 3rd November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Leeds slap £30m asking price on loan star
Everton have been dealt a major blow in their pursuit to turn Jack Harrison's loan move permanent, after recent media reports suggest that Leeds have told Everton they want £30m for the 26 year old. He arrived at Goodison Park mid August, but has only recently regained his fitness following the hip injury that kept him sidelined all Summer.
His return to action has coincided with an impressive upturn in the Toffee's form, winning three from their last five, during which time the winger has leapt up to third place in their 'Whoscored' ratings. Leeds bought Harrison from Manchester City for £11m in the Summer of 2021, but had spent £9m in loan fee's from the three previous seasons. He is contracted at Leeds until the Summer of 2028. Bearing this in mind, is £30m enough?
Startling figures regarding player sales revealed
Although the Jack Harrison deal would represent a healthy nett profit of £10m, it's startling to recall how few players at Elland Road have even generated a fee in recent times.
Preceding their 22/23 campaign, the Whites generated £100m, thanks mainly to the sales of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, but you have to go all the way back to 2019 to find the last time Leeds generated any income whatsoever (Jack Clarke, Pontus Jansson, Kemar Roofe, Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Samu Saiz, Pawel Cibicki, Tom Pearce and Aapo Halme - total £26m)!
It means, when Leeds unearth a gem, like Gnonto or Summerville, they need to be generating substantial income to make it worth. Even the Thorp Arch academy are not living up to expectation. When you look at the likes of Leif Davis, Mateusz Bogusz, Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt, Cody Drameh, Lewis Bate, Leo Hjelde - the truth is, Leeds have / will be lucky to break-even.
Gnonto wants out?
Italian sporting news outlet calciomercato.com are reporting that Wilfred Gnonto has asked his agent to find him a new club, in preparation for the January transfer window. The Italian International is out of form; his frustration of having to play in the Championship is compounded by the fact that he isn't even first choice in Daniel Farke's line-up. He came close to joining Everton in the Summer, but Leeds held firm.
It is rumoured that Gnonto is pushing for a move to Serie A, where Lazio are waiting patiently in the wings to try and grab themselves a bargain. We are led to believe Leeds want around £20m, which sounds cheap when you consider he's still only 19yo, and a full Italian International. We also must remember that he has a 'substantial sell on fee, likely to be between 20%-25%.
Lazio don't even want to pay £20m and want to negotiate the price down! Do Leeds have a closing down sale sign pinned up at Elland Road? Call me paranoid, but doesn't it seem that clubs believe they can get a bargain from Leeds Utd?
...That Ayling goal and "You couldn't script it 
" - Dirty Leeds B@stard.
