Degnand Wilfried Gnonto (born 5 November 2003) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Leeds United and the Italy national team.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Degnand Wilfried Gnonto[1] | ||
Date of birth | (2003-11-05) 5 November 2003 (age 19) | ||
Place of birth | Verbania, Italy | ||
Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Leeds United | ||
Number | 29 | ||
Youth career | |||
Baveno | |||
Suno | |||
2012–2020 | Inter Milan | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020–2021 | Zürich II | 3 | (2) |
2020–2022 | Zürich | 65 | (9) |
2022– | Leeds United | 2 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2018–2019 | Italy U16 | 10 | (1) |
2019–2020 | Italy U17 | 10 | (5) |
2021 | Italy U18 | 1 | (0) |
2021–2022 | Italy U19 | 10 | (5) |
2022– | Italy | 6 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 September 2022 |
Gnonto was born in Verbania, Italy in 2003 to Ivorian parents; he later grew up in Baveno, where he attended a liceo classico before switching to pursue secondary education at a liceo scientifico.[2][3]
A youth product of Inter Milan since the age of nine, Gnonto joined Swiss club Zürich on 23 April 2020.[4] Gnonto made his professional debut with Zürich as a substitute in a 4–1 away Swiss Super League win over FC Vaduz on 24 October 2020, and assisted his team's final goal.[5] He scored his first professional goal on 21 May 2021, once again in 4–1 league home win over FC Vaduz, after replacing Antonio Marchesano in the second half.[6]
In his second season, he won the 2021–22 Swiss Super League title with the club, with four games remaining.[7]
On 2 September 2022, Gnonto joined Leeds United on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[8] He then made his Premier League debut on October 29, in Leeds’ 2-1 win against Liverpool at Anfield, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Jack Harrison and opening the action that led to the winning goal by Crysencio Summerville.[9] On November 5, he replaced Harrison one more time, in the second half of the league match against Bournemouth, eventually assisting Summerville for his second consecutive winning goal.[10]
Born in Italy, Gnonto is of Ivorian descent.[11] He is a youth international for Italy,[11] having taken part with the Italy U17 in the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In May 2022, after being called by Roberto Mancini to join a training camp for the Italy national team, Gnonto was included in the final 30-player Azzurri squad for the 2022 Finalissima.[12][13] On 4 June 2022, Gnonto made his senior debut for Italy in a UEFA Nations League game against Germany, coming on as a substitute and providing an assist in a 1–1 home draw.[14] On 14 June, in Italy's fourth group match, he scored his first international goal in a 5–2 away loss to Germany, to become the youngest goalscorer for Italy, aged 18 years and 222 days, breaking the previous record held by Bruno Nicolè since 1958.[15]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Zürich | 2020–21[16] | Swiss Super League | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 1 | ||
2021–22[16] | Swiss Super League | 33 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 36 | 10 | |||
2022–23[16] | Swiss Super League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
Total | 65 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | 74 | 12 | |||
Leeds United U23 | 2022–23[16] | — | — | — | 2[17] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
Leeds United | 2022–23[16] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
Career total | 67 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 78 | 12 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Italy | 2022 | 6 | 1 |
Total | 6 | 1 |
No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1 | 14 June 2022 | Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany | 4 | ![]() | 1–5 | 2–5 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A |
Zürich[16]
Leeds United F.C. – current squad | |
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