Everton could now sign Wilfried Gnonto on loan.
Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Leeds United are still refusing to sell the winger and could instead allow him to leave on a season-long loan.
Gnonto has attracted plenty of interest since the Whites were relegated to the Championship, with Everton and Aston Villa two clubs that are eager to bring the Italian back to the top flight.
The Toffees have been chasing Gnonto all summer and are yet to make another offer since they saw their £15 million bid rejected last month.
While talk of a move to Goodison Park had quietened down, Sky Sports have now reported that Gnonto has made himself unavailable for Leeds and could force his exit from Elland Road.
Gnonto’s situation has put Everton on high alert and they could now revisit a move for the ‘quality’ 19-year-old, however Daniel Farke’s side are still adamant that they won’t sell their star man.
They could now look to offload him on loan in the hope that they will win automatic promotion back to the Premier League and can then bring Gnonto straight back into their starting line-up.
MORE EVERTON STORIES
Should Everton sign Wilfried Gnonto on loan?
A permanent move for Wilfried Gnonto would be the much better option for Everton as they look to bolster their attack for years to come.
A successful loan spell at Goodison Park could massively drive up the Italian’s price next summer and there would be no guarantee they could snap him up, unless they were to include an option-to-buy clause if Leeds United failed to return to the top flight.
While Everton could benefit from a permanent deal, a loan switch could be better than nothing for Sean Dyche’s side. Either way, it seems likely that a potential move will go down to the final days of the transfer window as each party looks to see who will buckle first.