Leeds United definitely 'like' Wilfried Gnonto but negotiations with Zurich are not 'easy', Fabrizio Romano has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Leeds manager Jesse Marsch admitted in his press conference ahead of Sunday's game against Chelsea that the Whites are aware of Gnonto and that they think 'very highly' of him.

Marsch doesn't believe he's 'Premier League-ready' at this stage of career, instead viewing the potential deal as 'a long-term project'.

He also raised the possibility of Gnonto arriving in a future window as opposed to this summer.

The 18-year-old, who has already racked up four senior caps for Italy, can play as a second striker, centre forward and winger.

The latest

Romano said 'the most interesting' rumour around Leeds with less than two weeks to go in the window is indeed the impressive Gnonto, but warned that the deal would not be straightforward.

"The most interesting one is Wilfried Gnonto, the Italian talent who is doing great with the national team under Roberto Mancini," he said.

"They like him. But it is not easy to negotiate with Zurich."

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The verdict

What's making talks difficult? Well it's probably Zurich's reported valuation of £8.4million. Leeds apparently made a bid earlier this week, but it fell short of that price tag.

They no doubt appreciate that Gnonto has made rapid progress, opening his account for his country in just his fourth appearance against Germany.

But they also know that he's still pretty raw, with just 64 men's top-flight appearances under his belt, and he only has a year left on his contract.

Come January, Gnonto will be able to negotiate pre-contract terms with foreign clubs, with a view to potentially joining on a free transfer - Zurich must decide whether to hold firm, or cash in while they still can.

Perhaps they're hoping a bidding war breaks out for a youngster with 'lightning acceleration', in the words of Swiss football scout Oliver Zesiger.

Indeed, Gnoto has drawn comparisons to Raheem Sterling, a player he idolises.