The current front-runner to be the next Leeds United boss, Sam Allardyce, has already stated on his No Tippy Tappy Football podcast (via Leeds Live) that Wilfried Gnonto should be playing more at Elland Road.

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The Italian winger has struggled for gametime this season, managing just 13 starts in the Premier League despite a return of two goals and four assists.

The 19-year-old has managed even less minutes under Javi Gracia. Since the appointment of the boss in February, Gnonto has managed only nine games and his output has nosedived. He's produced three assists but has failed to hit the back of the net, as Leeds' fortunes have also continued to falter.

The Whites are currently on the edge of the relegation places in the top flight, with the side sat in 17th. They remain only out of the bottom three on goal difference, meaning that the prospect of a drop in league to the Championship is very much real.

With the Leeds fans and board growing weary of Javi Gracia's inability to generate positive results – he's won only three of his 12 games at the helm – it seems he will ultimately be given the boot and the torch will seemingly be passed on to Sam Allardyce. The former Baggies boss will now be tasked with steering the club in the right direction.

A positive for Whites fans though is that their potential new boss could give Gnonto the playing time he – and the supporters – crave. One of the biggest downsides of Gracia's time at the helm has been the lack of action for the Italian but it appears Allardyce could be prepared to give him more, as he called the player "fantastic".

He stated on his podcast last week, via Leeds Live: "There are a couple of players who in my opinion should be playing. Wilfried Gnonto, the young Italian kid. Fantastic.

"He's so positive, so driven, so direct with the ball, he gets the play up the field and he doesn't mind defending as well."

Should Gnonto get more playing time?

Gnonto has certainly proven that he has the talent to be a key player under new boss Allardyce. It was his 12 goals and ten assists for FC Zurich that prompted the Premier League side to snap him up in the first place and he's already on track to beat those tallies in less games with the Whites. The 19-year-old already has four goals and four assists in 24 games so far, so is thriving despite his age (via Transfermarkt).

He can produce the goods for his team and has done so when called upon up to this point. His absence from the side and the way he was deployed under Gracia has meant that creative spark in the Leeds team has been absent – and his ability to drive the team forward has been missed. Throwing him back into the mix now could be just what the side need to avoid the drop to the Championship if Allardyce does play Gnonto.