Big change and fresh blow for Leeds United's forthcoming opponents with Whites-linked attacker

Leeds will take in their second pre-season friendly in York on Saturday against French outfit AS Monaco who had to settle for a sixth-placed finish in last season’s Ligue 1, missing out on European qualification for next term.

Boss Philippe Clement was subsequently sacked in June and replaced by former former Red Bull Salzburg, Young Boys, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach boss Adi Hutter who took over the Monaco hotseat at the start of this month.

Monaco have since taken in two pre-season friendlies, starting with a 1-1 draw against Union Saint-Gilloise who are Europa League-bound following last season’s third-placed finish.

Yet Hutter’s side were then dealt a setback in Saturday’s second friendly at Belgian hosts Cercle Brugge who condemned Monaco to a 3-0 defeat. Hutter fielded several players from Monaco’s Academy as part of a line up that also featured last season’s top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder as captain plus Aleksandr Golovin and ex-Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino who was linked with a move to Leeds last summer.

But Monaco were dominated by their hosts and Hutter’s side are now spending this week in Birmingham for a one-week training camp which also features friendlies against Real Betis and Leeds. Monaco will face Betis on Wednesday evening before this weekend’s clash against Leeds in a 4pm kick-off at York City’s LNER Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.