'One more season' - Willy Gnonto urges out-of-contract Leeds United man to sign new deal
Leeds United have a decision to make on midfielder Josuha Guilavogui.
Willy Gnonto has called on Josuha Guilavogui to extend his Leeds United stay following confirmation of their return to the Premier League.
Leeds will be playing top-flight football next season after an Easter Monday run of results that saw them pull eight points clear of third with just two games left to play. Daniel Farke’s side were rampant as they cruised to a 6-0 win over Stoke City at Elland Road, with players and fans hanging around to watch Sheffield United lose at Burnley.
That result confirmed promotion and sparked wild celebrations in West Yorkshire, with the squad joining thousands of fans outside Elland Road before heading into the city centre for continued partying. The vibrant Guilavogui will undoubtedly have been front-and-centre of those evening scenes and he took time to send a message out on Tuesday evening.
In a post on Instagram, the 34-year-old wrote: “We are Premier League. This team. These players. This club. One of a kind. Marching On Together always.” Guilavogui’s post-match social media posts have become a regular feature among supporters but more interesting this time was the verdict of two teammates in the comments section.
As things stand, October free agent arrival Guilavogui is set to leave Leeds once his contract expires this summer but it appears Gnonto might have other ideas, with the young winger writing: “One more season”. And that sentiment was backed up by striker Joel Piroe, who added: “2 he is young”.
It remains to be seen if Leeds will look to extend Guilavogui’s stay and the midfielder is one of three senior players entering the final months of his Whites contract. Alongside him are 31-year-old full-back cover Sam Byram and first-choice left-back Junior Firpo.
Josuha Guilavogui’s Leeds United impact clear despite lack of minutes
Guilavogui’s influence on the pitch has been relatively small this season, with 15 league appearances all coming from the bench, but the midfielder is clearly a valued presence in the dressing room. The French international has added plenty of experience to a relatively young group and earned regular praise from manager Farke for his efforts.
And the former Mainz midfielder has clearly had a positive impact on Gnonto, who scored Leeds’ sixth and final goal with a rare headed effort on Monday. The Italian also scored against Middlesbrough back in December and ran straight to substitute Guilavogui for a heart-warming celebratory embrace.
“I don't know if he expected it but I knew I was going to go to him,” Gnonto told LUTV of his celebration. “He told me I was going to have a good game and score so I was really happy. I feel like it was a good moment for him too.
“He’s had a great impact. He's a good guy, he has a lot of experience and he always tries to help people. He’s always there with a good attitude, always smiling. With me personally, he has been great since the start. I'm really happy to have him and it's good to have this type of personality in the dressing room.”
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