Leeds United attacker Wilfried Gnonto reflected on his time at the Inter Primavera and felt that it had a significant impact on his development as a footballer.
The Italian international came through the academy at Inter before making his professional debut with Swiss club FC Zurich, earning a move to the Premier League and Leeds last summer.
In an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 19-year-old offered his thoughts on life at Elland Road after becoming a fan favourite with a string of impressive performances, as well as the possibility of returning to Serie A in the future.
“I owe a lot to Inter, they were eight fundamental years for my growth that led me to be the footballer and man I am now,” Gnonto declared.
“Playing for or against Inter would always be a great honour. The sporting project has always been my prerogative and any choice relating to my career is always made according to that.
“The Premier League is one of the best leagues in Europe, if not the best. All the teams play openly and there’s a very high intensity.
“It’s a huge challenge for me, because I have the opportunity to confront myself every week with some of the best players.”
Gnonto has firmly established himself in the starting line-up with the Whites, and was commended for his maturity by coach Jesse Marsch, but the forward felt that his experiences in his development had aided this.
“I don’t think there’s a secret. I’m a boy who really likes football, so both on and off the pitch I always try to teach myself and learn as much as possible.
“Despite my age, I’ve had different and important experiences and I’ve learned a lot from each.”
Gnonto is joined in England by fellow former Inter Primavera talent Cesare Casadei, who joined Chelsea in the summer, but did not feel it was essential for young Italian talents to go overseas in order to establish themselves.
“I don’t think it’s mandatory for a young player to go abroad. You have to play, this is the most important thing. If this possibility doesn’t exist in Italy, I don’t think you should be afraid to try elsewhere,” he added.
Gnonto has made 10 appearances for Leeds in all competitions this season, scoring three goals.
