Leeds United might finally give Wilfried Gnonto the offer he's been waiting for

Left-wing was locked down at Leeds United from September until the end of last season by the Championship’s best player. If you could have handpicked a player to compete for starts with last season, Crysencio Summerville would have been at the bottom of the list.

Jaidon Anthony made 38 appearances during his loan spell from Bournemouth in what, on paper, looks like a good return from a year away. However, when you see only six of those outings were from the start, you understand Summerville’s dominance.

Anthony did not do a whole lot wrong in the extremely limited time he had on the field for Leeds. The 24-year-old was denied any rhythm or routine at any stage of the season, which was always going to dent his impact on the field, but, Summerville never gave him a look-in on that flank.

READ MORE: Second Leeds United exit confirmed with new deal after 'higher up' rejection and clear Farke verdict

The number 12’s one highlight came in the FA Cup game against Plymouth Argyle, when he blitzed inside past two or three defenders before burying the ball into the far corner. Aside from that, Anthony rarely, if ever, made a meaningful impact on games from the bench.

Andoni Iraola will welcome Anthony back into the Bournemouth fold when pre-season starts, leaving a small hole on Daniel Farke’s left flank. If Crysencio Summerville also departs, as many suspect this summer, that small hole becomes an important need for Leeds.

Wilfried Gnonto is another Leeds asset that could well move on this summer. Like Summerville, Gnonto is young and has immense room for improvement, while playing outside one of Europe’s big five leagues.

The Italy international is inevitably going to pop up on so many recruitment filters over the course of this transfer window. However, if Leeds do sell other assets to balance the books and convince Gnonto another season here would be good for him, there is an incentive there.

After his ill-fated attempt to force a transfer last August, Gnonto was out of sorts and didn’t find the net in more than five months of football. Farke would generally play Gnonto on the right side, competing for minutes with Daniel James.

With Summerville in form, Georginio Rutter providing the creativity through the centre and Joel Piroe or Patrick Bamford acting as focal points, Farke’s only route to playing Gnonto came off the right. There were flashes of promise, but the former Zurich forward did not hit any kind of form until February.

His best form in his first season at Leeds, which similarly came across January and February, was off the left flank. If Summerville is out of the picture, could that be the flank Gnonto is given from August?

Could playing off the left side be the platform Gnonto needs to put together a full season, not six to eight weeks, of goals and assists? Could that be incentive enough to stick around in England’s second division again?

If he agrees to stay, Gnonto almost certainly gets a new contract too. The 20-year-old remains on the terms he signed as an 18-year-old initially bound for United’s under-21s and he has far exceeded those initial expectations.

There was serious chatter about a new deal in January, but it never materialised. Offers will surely drop into Elland Road for the Italian this summer, almost certainly from his homeland, and it may well be Leeds cannot turn down such significant profitability and sustainability profits.

Gnonto hardly lit up the second tier last season either. The right offers from the right clubs may not emerge for him. It may not be the worst thing in the world to stay and have a season that puts him back on the map. Just look at what it has done for Summerville's profile.

If the Red Bull investment and other eight-figure sales can put Leeds on the right financial footing, retaining a left-sided Gnonto could be devastating for the Championship. Just ask Manchester United fans.