Leeds United fans might have been expecting the worst this season after a slow start out of the blocks, coupled with the fact that Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray all deserted Elland Road in the summer.
Yet, as the winter months begin to kick in, Daniel Farke’s side sit in a promising third position in the Championship standings, only narrowly outside of the top two by two points with lots more high-stakes football still to play.
It’s an impressive feat considering all those high-profile exits could have done some real damage this off-season, especially the sad departure of Summerville, who lit up the second tier.
Summerville's time at Leeds
The Dutchman was even crowned PFA Championship Player of the Year for those heroics, even as his ex-employers slipped up at the final hurdle in the playoff final versus Southampton.
He was a deserving recipient of such an esteemed accolade, as the entertaining winger toyed with many a second-tier defence, picking up 21 goals and ten assists in all competitions by the close of the campaign.
Unfortunately, that harrowing near-miss at promotion meant Summerville was an ideal purchase for various different top-flight clubs, with West Ham United ultimately winning his services for £25m.
Rutter departed for £15m more, but Leeds wouldn’t have kicked up a fuss at what the Hammers coughed up, considering the Whites once snapped up the ex-Feyenoord youngster for just £1.3m, before turning him into an elite Football League performer.
Summerville would have endeared himself to Leeds fans when he scored against the Whites’ arch-rivals in Manchester United in October, as supporters back at Elland Road now soon brace for another potential high-profile exit.
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The player who could be sold for more Summerville
Leeds fans will be thankful that Wilfried Gnonto is still on their books, with a real fear in the air in the summer that he would be another major casualty.
The Italian winger has shone for his promotion-chasing side in spurts this season, having had to take on the mantle of being Leeds’ most explosive player with no Summerville or Rutter now present, with two strikes and five assists coming his way from 16 clashes in all competitions.
The former FC Zurich man has proven himself to be another worthwhile gamble – much like Summerville – having also picked up 15 goals and 12 assists in total donning Leeds white, after joining for a mere £3.8m under Jesse Marsch.
He could also go for more than the touted £25m West Ham paid for the Rotterdam-born attacker, with CIES Football Observatory now estimating that the Italian’s value now stands at a hefty £35m.
1. Raphinha
£55m
2. Kalvin Phillips
£45m
3. Georginio Rutter
£40m
4. Archie Gray
£30m
5. Rio Ferdinand
£29m
Looking at the table above, Gnonto could go on to become Leeds’ fourth highest-ever departure, beating Gray’s amount of £30m in the process, alongside going on to earn Farke’s men a prettier penny than Summerville.
Of course, the ball is in Leeds’ court considering the 21-year-old forward did pen a new Whites contract recently, as the “special” star – with this label coming his way by ex-Leeds coach Michael Skubala – aims to guide his team to promotion, regardless of any steep price-tags emerging above his head.
Yet, if promotion remains out of reach again, expect Gnonto to be itching for a move up to the Premier League, with another summer of mass change theoretically hurting the West Yorkshire giants.
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