Leeds 'set to sign' Italian wonderkid as Marsch has last laugh after Bamba Dieng betrayal

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch is set to have the final say after seeing his side's blow for Bamba Dieng hijacked by Nice. The striker ultimately failed his medical with the French side and Leeds are now reportedly close to signing teenager Wilfried Gnonto, who is already a full Italy international.

Leeds chief Andrea Radrizzani has found himself caught up in perhaps the most dramatic transfer saga of Deadline. It emerged early on Thursday that Los Blancos had agreed a deal with Marseille for Dieng and he was set to fly to the UK to complete his medical.

While waiting for his private jet to take off at the airport, however, Nice threw his hat in the ring and managed to tempt him to drop his arrangement with Leeds. Dieng and his entourage soon arrived in southeastern France, but the 22-year-old failed his medical and ended up where he started.

For many hours it looked like Leeds would be without a new leader, which would have been a concern for many given Patrick Bamford's patchy injury record. But minutes after the 11pm deadline, a transfer pundit reported that a deal for Gnonto was nearing completion, pending a work permit.

Personal terms are already believed to have been agreed and Leeds have supposedly taken care of the necessary paperwork to beat the deadline. Gnonto, 18, has spent the last two seasons in and around the FC Zurich first team.

Last season he scored 10 goals in all competitions and worked his way into the senior Italian national team. His first international goal came in a 5-2 loss to Germany in June and, despite his lack of experience in one of Europe's 'big five' leagues, he is clearly highly regarded in his homeland .

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