Leeds United ace joins Jude Bellingham, Bayern Munich sensation and more in star-studded top-10 list

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Leeds United have one of the most experienced young players in world football, according to new data released this week.

The future is looking bright for Leeds United after what has been a very mixed year or so.

Daniel Farke’s men suffered heartbreak in 2023/24 after blowing a shot at automatic promotion before losing to Southampton in the play-offs.

History looked set to repeat itself in the current campaign with claims Leeds are falling apart again looking more and more valid after a patchy run of form.

However, following a win over Middlesbrough and three points secured over Preston North End, the Whites are back at the top of the Championship.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	42	25	13	4	82	29	53	88
2	BurnleyBurnley	42	24	16	2	57	13	44	88
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	42	26	7	9	57	33	24	83
4	SunderlandSunderland	42	21	13	8	57	38	19	76
5	Bristol CityBristol City	42	16	16	10	54	45	9	64

Roy Keane has warned Leeds about promotion to the Premier League but right now, the mood around Elland Road is a positive one.

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Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto has top-10 most appearances of 2003-born players

When they do likely win promotion, Farke already has an excellent group of players to work with in building out his squad for the top flight.

Among those is 21-year-old Italian sensation Wilfried Gnonto, who joined Leeds in 2022 from FC Zurich.

Gnonto has 39 Championship appearances under his belt this term, with his six goals and five assists key to the Peacocks’ ongoing promotion charge.

Now, it has been revealed by CIES Football Observatory that the Leeds gem has the ninth-most appearances of any player in born in 2003.

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham sits top of the list with 308 and an average of 54.1 per year – Gnonto has 214.

Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Benjamin Sesko round out the top three of what is a star-studded top 10.

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Wilfried Gnonto development praised by Danie Farke

While Gnonto has a staggering number of appearances under his belt already, he is not a guaranteed starter at Leeds.

The forward was in from the off against Preston, but he hasn’t completed 90 minutes of Championship football since November 9th, 2024, versus QPR.

When discussing how Gnonto is developing and where he can improve, Farke was full of praise for the Italian in an interview with Transfermarkt.

“Gnonto has developed brilliantly. Like almost every young player, he also has room for improvement, especially in terms of consistency.

“I can imagine where many players could go, but ultimately, the lads have to make it happen themselves.”