Leeds United: Monk focuses on signings as new faces set for bows

The 19-year-old midfielder, United’s star asset, completed a £10m move to Premier League outfit Bournemouth on Friday, with United earning £6m up front.

Monk says that the club’s best efforts to retain Cook proved in vain, with the teenager set on a move to the top-flight.

The former Swansea City chief is concentrating all his energies on add some further quality to his squad following six incoming transfers already this close-season - including the signings of Oxford United attacker Kemar Roofe and Swedish striker Marcus Antonsson for a combined fee of £5m.

Monk said: “I know he left here on good terms with everyone in the club.

“This is where you look now to strengthen the squad, which we are doing continuously, to add that quality.

“I think you have seen from the signings so far that we’ve added quality to what’s already here and as we stay to the plan there’s a few more who need to come in as well.”

Specifically on Cook’s exit, he added: “Of course, myself and the club wanted Lewis to stay. I know the club made huge efforts to keep him here contract-wise - myself as well on the football side.

“But I think you have to accept that when a player really wants to go, when he and his agent want to take it that way and the club feel they have done all they can to keep him and it’s still not progressing, if a bid comes in that the club find acceptable then nine times out of 10 they are going to accept it.

“That is nothing new, it’s nothing strange. It happens at every club in every transfer window. Myself and the club did all we could to keep him.”

United are in action in their first pre-season friendly at League of Ireland side Shelbourne this evening and new signings Roofe, Antonsson, Robert Green, Kyle Bartley, Matt Grimes and Hado Sacko could all feature.

Leeds will be without defender Liam Cooper, who will sit out the game in Dublin with a slight muscle injury.

Jordan Botaka has resumed training again after a short illness, but winger Stuart Dallas won’t feature, with the Northern Ireland winger handed extra time off due to his Euro 2016 commitments.