Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk shuts down Leeds United hopes of striker deal

Leeds have reportedly made a £6million offer for the tall striker following the sale of Chris Wood to Burnley on Sunday.

Gestede moved to Middlesbrough from Aston Villa in January but failed to make his mark in the Premier League and the North Yorkshire club were relegated back to the Championship.

Monk said the targetman still had a role to play at the Riverside.

"He's an important player," he said. "He is an integral player to what we are doing here.

"We do need one or two incomings, which I've talked about before. But, to be honest, I cannot wait for that window to close.

"All of the players are important to us. We do not want to lose the players that are here right now."

Monk's side thrashed Scunthorpe United 3-0 on Tuesday night to advance through to the Caraboa Cup third round and the boss admitted the win had created selection headaches.

The 38-year-old picked an experimental team at the Riverside, with nine alterations to the XI that lost 2-1 at Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday.

The deputies took their opportunity as Fabio, Lewis Baker and Ashley Fletcher netted their first goals for the club.Baker and Fletcher, on loan from Chelsea and signed from West Ham respectively, were particularly impressive, as was club captain Grant Leadbitter - who was starting for the first time this term.

"I am pleased," said Monk. "The key to the performance was the attitude and the workrate.

"Scunthorpe were full of fight and spirit, and had their own quality as well. There's a risk in how fluid the team will be when you make changes.

"But they applied themselves and are clearly committed to the work that we are doing.

"It's great to know the whole squad when called upon are ready and perform. If I had easy decisions each weekend, I wouldn't be doing my job properly.

"These games are never easy but it was a really dominant performance. There are lots of players with the bit between their teeth."