MONK TRUSTS FIVE WIDE BOYS WILL DELIVER
24, caused a stir by outstripping the famously fast Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin in Swansea’s defeat at the Emirates in October.
And Villarreal’s Pedraza, 20, has a stellar reputation as a member of Spain’s European Under- 19 Championshipwinning team two years ago.
Monk said: “We are very happy to have them. You look for certain things, certain profiles.
“Barrow and Pedraza will bring us the extra options that we need. They are like-minded to the group that I have – very young, with something to prove. They’re up and coming, and have quality to complement what we have already got.
“I don’t particularly like to do business on the last day of the transfer window. I would rather it be a little bit better planned, but we are very happy.
“They were discussed previous to the window opening and, of course, while there were other targets as well, these two fit into what we are doing here.
“The important thing is we came out of the window stronger than we went in.”
Monk will consider throwing both new recruits into today’s West Yorkshire derby at the John Smith’s Stadium as he looks to keep legs as fresh as possible for the run-in.
A week ago, Leeds suffered the ignominy of being knocked out of the FA Cup when a shadow team were upstaged by non-League Sutton.
But all will be forgiven if Monk can secure a top-two finish.
He added: “I live and die by my decisions.
“We don’t want that kind of thing to ever happen to us, but that’s for me to take.
“When we suffer like that, we all suffer. “My job here is not only to build a winning football tea team, it’s to bring characterch and belief tot this club. If that means I have to suffer a negative reaction once in a whilew to achieve things,thi I will take it.”