Leeds United parted ways with Garry Monk as the manager shockingly resigned from his post after his failure to lead the club to the playoffs. The Yorkshire club once again failed in pursuit of their promotion to the Premier League, something they have been trying for the last 14 years.
Leeds kept themselves very tight as they remained at the sixth position for most of the season. But their awful form in the last session of the campaign forced them to move out of the top six spots as Fulham grabbed the final playoff spot.
Despite the disappointing end, Leeds was widely expected to give Monk a contract extension for his continuous good work but no one could have imagined that the English manager will leave the club in this manner. There have been a couple of names hovering for the job and Aitor Karanka’s name has been rounded up a number of times. The Spaniard is right now without a club after being sacked by Middlesbrough in the middle of this season. Here are three Middlesbrough players Karanka might add to Leeds if he takes charge at the Elland Road:
Grant Leadbitter
The Boro captain has been with the club since 2012 and has led the team from the front. He has been rock solid in the middle of the pitch for the Teesiders and has been very committed towards his club. Leeds have been lacking a physical presence in the middle of the pitch and Leadbitter could just be that missing part of the jigsaw puzzle. Ronaldo Vieira’s performance for the Whites has been very commendable but he needs a leader at the heart of the midfield alongside him to pull the strings and the Boro man could be the perfect fiddle.
Patrick Bamford
The ex-Chelsea striker was one of the promising players for Middlesbrough this season. It was Karanka who signed him permanently from Chelsea in January after exploring his potential.
The manager moulded the player into one of the finest young forwards and we have seen it in the Premier League this season. Chris Wood has been linked with a number of clubs and should he depart, Bamford could be the answer to their attacking problems. He knows the pros and cons of Karanka and could be a more threatening player under his guidance.
Cristhian Stuani
Scoring goals has not been a problem for Leeds United but Stuani could give Karanka a number of options at his disposal. The Uruguayan striker knows the tricks of goal scoring but he hasn’t had many chances due to the inclusion of Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford. He might follow the suit of Karanka if the latter decides to join Elland Road.
