He still has a lot of promise.
With only eight games remaining, Leeds United leads the Championship, with the margin between promotion success and defeat thinner than ever. Nonetheless, the Whites have set aside time to consider their summer transfer intentions, with an eye on a former wonderkid.
Leeds Transfer News
There may already be concerns about keeping Daniel Farke’s best players. It’s no secret that Crysencio Summerville is drawing a lot of attention, including from Chelsea and Liverpool. Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto’s future was the subject of much discussion during both the summer and winter transfer windows, but he has already regained his fans’ affection at Elland Road.
On the incomings front, the Yorkshire club must also consider players who will help them stay in the Premier League if they are promoted this season. They have been connected with both Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff and Tottenham Hotspur’s Joe Rodon, who has had an impressive loan spell under Farke this season.
They aren’t the only names associated with moves to Yorkshire, either. According to Graeme Bailey of HITC, the 49ers and Leeds are interested in Karamoko Dembele, who is presently on loan from Ligue 1 side Brest to Blackpool, where he has been quite successful.
Dembele, who initially made headlines as a 13-year-old playing for Celtic’s U20s, has recaptured his best form for the first time since leaving the Scottish giants. Given that he is only 21 years old, this is a guy with a lot of promise.
If Leeds do pursue the winger, they will apparently face stiff competition, with Premier League clubs Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Everton, Brentford, Fulham, and Wolverhampton Wanderers all listed as interested parties. Meanwhile, Championship rivals Leicester City and Southampton are reportedly interested in the Brest star.
“Exciting” Dembele can replace Gnonto.
With Gnonto’s future uncertain, Leeds would be prudent to begin considering potential alternatives ahead of the upcoming summer merry-go-round, and Dembele should be on their shortlist. The former Celtic player is only one year older than Gnonto and possesses some amazing potential. Dembele’s stats this season even imply that he might be a better option than the Italian, despite his lower-level performances in League One.
Dembele has won over many supporters, including manager Neil Critchley, after an outstanding season at Blackpool. He told the Blackpool Gazette, “He was a real handful in the first half.” He plays the game in a distinctive manner and has a football personality.
“He’ll take the ball in any situation and make it happen. He’s lively and can be stunning to watch. What we need to do now is assist him develop durability so that he can produce for longer portions of the game.”
