Leeds United: New head coach Monk wants Whites to go on the attack

Former Swansea City boss Monk was appointed as Steve Evans’ successor on Thursday and will arrive back in Leeds this week to first finalise plans for pre-season.

Monk has already stated that United’s players will be asked to return to Thorp Arch at the end of the month – and the 37-year-old wants his newly inherited squad to be excited about his desired style of football.

The former centre-back enjoyed an incredible journey at Swansea which began as a player in 2004 in League Two and ended as manager in the Premier in 2015.

The Swans were frequently complimented on their style of football – and often compared to Arsenal.

“I want the players to be excited,” said Monk.

“It’s about aggressive, front foot football, I like to play on the front foot, I don’t like to play passive football but there are times where we need to be adaptable because we can’t always have it our own way.

“It’s trying to improve the players in terms of their cleverness in how to approach the game but I want the fans to be excited. I want to get on the front foot and make sure it’s attacking football.

“Swansea was a unique situation in terms of that was a process of ten years that had been put in place there being built to that. It’s not to copy that, it’s to take the best elements.

“Of course I like to play possession football but always with a purpose, not just play possession so we can say we have had 800 passes but we have had one shot on goal.

“It’s about everything with a purpose and the game nowadays is changing. It’s becoming a lot faster, the pace of the game becomes faster, the players have to adapt to that and I want that game to be played on a regular basis which is very hard physically as well. All those elements are to be put in place for the players to understand and work with.

“I just want exciting football – you want to see shots, you want to see goals, you want to see good defending, you want to see all the elements and for any manager it’s a perfect storm when you talk about it like that.

“But it’s to be exciting so that when the fans come here they are happy they have paid that money to watch that football.”

Monk is keen to bring in his former assistant manager Pep Clotet as his new Whites no 2 and developments are expected this week. United have also been linked with moves for a whole host of players over the weekend, including with a loan raid for young Manchester United forward Ashley Fletcher.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Barnsley and scored the opening goal in the club’s League One play-off final win against Millwall at Wembley, at which Whites chairman Massimo Cellino was present.

Fletcher, who was born in Keighley, scored nine goals in 27 games for Barnsley who also want the forward back on loan.

Three players from Portugese Primeria Liga side Nacional – Salvador Agra, Rui Correia and Ali Ghazal – are also apparently interesting Cellino who reportedly scouted Portugal last summer.

Agra 24, is a right winger, while Correia and Ghazal, who are 25 and 24 respectively, can both operate as a defensive midfielder or centre-back. Ghazal is also an Egyptian international.

Parma, Malaga and Rennes are also said to be interested in the trio. Ascoli winger Riccardo Orsolini is also being linked with Leeds but the 19-year-old – who is valued at around £3m – is also said to be interesting Juventus.