Leeds United winger Willy Gnonto will be Italy's foremost attacking presence at the Under-21 European Championships this summer.

Gnonto is one of only three attackers named in head coach Carmine Nunziata's U21 Euros squad ahead of the tournament's opener on 11 June.

It follows the withdrawal of Internazionale forward Francesco Pio Esposito, who has spent the past year on loan at Spezia in Serie B, and was tipped to be among the best strikers at this summer's competition after a 19-goal season in Italy's second tier.

Gnonto has played centrally for his country before and could be required to do so in Esposito's absence, although Napoli-owned Giuseppe Ambrosino is likely to start in that position. Burnley's Luca Koleosho, who features nominally as a winger, is also named in Nunziata's group as one of the three forwards.

Italy face Mateo Joseph's Spain, Romania and tournament hosts Slovakia in their group stage matches and are expected to progress to the knockout rounds. However, Esposito's absence will come as a blow.

For Gnonto, the tournament could serve as an opportunity to further showcase his Premier League and senior international potential. The winger enjoyed a 15-goal campaign for Leeds last season, split between nine goals and six assists, and could replace loanee Manor Solomon in Leeds' starting lineup at the beginning of 2025/26.

The 21-year-old boasts five goals and four assists in 13 appearances for the Azzurrini and will be seeking a return to the senior setup with a successful Euros campaign this summer.

An Italian Football Federation statement on Wednesday morning confirmed star striker Esposito's withdrawal from the tournament.

"Francesco Pio Esposito will not participate in the European Championship that will take place in Slovakia from 11 to 28 June," it read. "The footballer had reached the Under 21 National team training camp in Tirrenia yesterday afternoon to undergo diagnostic tests and be visited by the National team's medical staff who - in agreement with Professor Piero Volpi, the medical director of Inter, his club - considered him unavailable for upcoming commitments."

Italy U21 squad

Goalkeepers: Sebastiano Desplanches (Palermo), Jacopo Sassi (Crotone), Gioele Zacchi (Latina);

Defenders: Giovanni Bonfanti (Pisa), Daniele Ghilardi (Hellas Verona), Gabriele Guarino (Carrarese), Michael Kayode (Brentford), Lorenzo Pirola (Olympiacos), Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta), Riccardo Turicchia (Juventus), Mattia Zanotti (Lugano);

Midfielders: Tommaso Baldanzi (Roma), Alessandro Bianco (Monza), Issa Doumbia (Venice), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Jacopo Fazzini (Empoli), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Matteo Prati (Cagliari), Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo);

Forwards: Giuseppe Ambrosino (Frosinone), Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United), Luca Koleosho (Burnley).