LEEDS UNITED are ready to focus on other targets after being told to forget signing Rudy Gestede for £6m this month.

Boro knocked back Leeds’ initial offer for the Benin international yesterday when the Elland Road club moved swiftly following Chris Wood’s £15m moved to Burnley.

Gestede was one of the first options for Leeds as a potential replacement for Wood, along with Preston’s Jordan Hugill who is interesting Sunderland. They are also expected to bring in teenager Jay-Roy Grot from NEC in Holland.

But Boro have made it clear Gestede, who is enjoying a new lease of life on Teesside, is not for sale. He has played in all four of Garry Monk’s matches in charge and started three.

The 28-year-old, signed for £6m from Aston Villa in January, had been expected to move on this summer following Monk’s spending spree on strengthening his attacking options.

However, the Middlesbrough boss likes what Gestede has to offer and the striker has arguably been the most consistent player so far. He could even be rested in the Carabao Cup against Scunthorpe tonight.

Gestede is not the only player to be attracting interest. Adama Traore, used as a substitute in the last two matches, is wanted by Lille. He has added an extra dimension to the team in the final third, but remains renowned for lacking an end product.

That has not prevented clubs from keeping an eye on him because he has an abundance of talent and the French club are ready to test the water by making an offer. Chelsea have maintained interest.
Lille are prepared to pay just under £10m, which would represent a decent profit on a 21-year-old who only arrived from Aston Villa a year ago. 

Liverpool’s Ryan Kent is a potential replacement after a deal for his Anfield teammate Sheyi Ojo broke down. Monk is also on the verge of landing Ryan Shotton from Birmingham.

Shotton should finalise his £2.5m switch this week after Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp made two more defensive additions to his squad yesterday by securing Arsenal pair Carl Jenkinson and Cohen Bramall on season-long loans.

Monk hopes to lead his team to back-to-back home wins again when Scunthorpe, tonight, and Preston, on Saturday, visit. 

Defender George Friend is convinced Boro can do some damage in the final third this season – and teams will be scared of the threat they pose.

Friend is excited to look on from the back and see Gestede, Traore, Britt Assombalonga, Ashley Fletcher, Lewis Baker and Patrick Bamford all working the opposition defence. Monk still has £9m striker Martin Braithwaite to return from injury.

Friend said: “It’s great as a player at the back to see another player coming on who is forward thinking. If I was on the other team seeing these players coming on from the bench I would be intimidated. 

“That’s what we have to tune into because to have that strength going forward is brilliant. We will cause plenty problems and we know that.

“We are confident. We know we have lost a couple of away games, and losing to Forest was a set-back, and this is the Championship so we can’t get too far ahead. 

“We need to keep our feet on the ground and look at these games before the international break.  Forest aren’t a bad side but we should have done a lot better.”

Monk is weighing up how many changes to make for the visit of Scunthorpe tonight. He has tried to use the same players in the opening four matches, and a Carabao Cup tie is an opportunity to try other things.

Friend said: “It’s good to have a home draw in the cup. I am sure we will go into that and look to win, we have then got two home games so hopefully we can build on our first two home wins.”

Boro (possible): Konstantopoulos; Fabio, Ayala, Fry, Roberts; Leadbitter; Howson, Baker; Fletcher, Gestede, Traore.