Hoffenheim and Freiburg have both cooled their interest in FC Zürich forward Wilfried Gnonto, according to Kicker.
The 18-year-old had a stellar season in Switzerland, with eight goals and three assists in 33 appearances and is currently under contract until 2023. Hoffenheim were keen to reunite the Italian with new head coach André Breitenreiter, who coached him last season at Zürich.
Per the report, Gnonto is too expensive for Hoffenheim with FC Zürich asking for over €10m. The club’s priority for investment is their central defence, so signing Gnonto is not thought to be feasible until they have overhauled their backline.
Gnonto made his debut for Italy earlier in the month, coming on for the final 25 minutes against Germany in the UEFA Nations League. The Italian forward then played the full 90 minutes for Italy’s second game against Die Mannschaft.
As for Freiburg, they too are believed to find the 18-year-old too pricey. Instead, they are intensifying efforts to sign Daniel-Kofi Kyereh from St Pauli, who has similar characteristics but can be bought for around €5m.
GGFN
