Times at Elland Road haven’t been good at all in recent years. Once a phenomenal force of English football, the Whites have fallen from grace dramatically and have faced gruelling times in the second tier for many years now. Things became worse under the ownership of Massimo Cellino who has not given a single manager he brought enough time to change the fortunes of the Yorkshire club.
And just when the Elland Road faithful thought matters couldn’t get any worse, Leeds parted ways with the biggest prospect in Football League i.e. last season’s Young Player of the Year who put an end to his career at his boyhood club to join Premier League side Bournemouth. Monk, right after his arrival at Elland Road has a monumental task to replace one of the key members of the Leeds team for the last couple of seasons.
The Daily Star claim that Leeds as well as newly-demoted Championship side Aston Villa are looking to bring Sunderland midfielder Liam Bridcutt in the summer. The Scottish international was deemed surplus to requirements by Sam Allardyce last autumn and moved to Leeds on loan for the remainder of the 2015-16 campaign.
The combative midfielder made 27 appearances across all competitions for Leeds last season, earning a recall to the Scotland squad during his time. The 27-year-old is well-known to the Elland Road crowd and the current crop of Leeds players. He is clearly not good enough for the Premier League and Leeds would be the ideal destination for the Scotsman in the Championship.
Bridcutt joined Sunderland for a £2.5m fee in the 2014 winter window and it is understood that the top-flight club are trying to recoup most of that fee for the player. An offer worth around £2m from the Whites would definitely make the Black Cats consider selling the player and it would be a no-brainer from Monk.
The Scottish international would be a big upgrade on Toumani Diagouraga. Monk used to play 4-3-3 at Swansea with a defensive midfielder protecting the back four and two offering the industry and creativity as the box to box midfielders. Bridcutt would definitely be seen as a regular name on the teamsheet at defensive midfield.
The 27-year-old needs to playing time on a regular basis and will get that at Leeds, unlike Aston Villa who have a solid midfield lineup following their relegation last campaign. Leeds United have to make this deal happen.
