Monk makes transfer admission: I hope Leeds will agree this January midfielder deal
Transfers

Monk makes transfer admission: I hope Leeds will agree this January midfielder deal

Wayne Veysey
Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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By Alex Stevens

Garry Monk has revealed that he is "hopeful" Leeds will transfer Toumani Diagouraga during the January window.

The midfield enforcer joined the Championship club from Brentford in January of last year and was a regular under former manager Steve Evans.

But Diagouraga has made just one appearance for Leeds this season after being frozen out of the first-team set-up by Monk.

The 29-year-old, who is contracted to the Yorkshire giants until the summer of 2018, has not played since August despite being fully fit and available for selection during that period.

Speaking on Wednesday, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of Radio Yorkshire journalist Joe Rawson, Monk said he is "hopeful Diagouraga will move on" during the January window.

Monk refused to confirm reports that Rotherham are interested in signing Diagouraga but did claim that the central midfielder is "good enough" to play at Championship level.

Leeds announced last Friday that Diagouraga's fellow outcast Luke Murphy had agreed to join Championship rivals Burton on loan for the rest of the season.

Like Murphy, Diagouraga and goalkeeper Ross Turnbull have been frozen out of the first-team squad and forced to train with the youth team and play as over-age players for the Under-23s.

The writing has been on the wall for the trio since last August, when they were demoted by Monk and failed to secure transfers in the final days of the summer window.

Goalkeeper Turnbull is in the final six months of his Leeds contract while Diagouraga has another 18 months to run on his deal.

In other Leeds news, the club are in advanced talks to sign a Bundesliga assists machine.

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Garry Monk
Leeds United
Toumani Diagouraga
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