Bristol City target Swansea City skipper Garry Monk
BRISTOL City have targeted Garry Monk — but Swansea City's skipper is not interested in leaving the Liberty.
The Evening Post can reveal Robins boss Derek McInnes is keen to lure Monk across the Severn Bridge this summer.
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Garry Monk
But we understand Swansea's club captain wants to stay on in Wales and fight for a place in Michael Laudrup's side.
Monk is a hugely influential figure in the Liberty dressing room and to lose him now would be far from ideal following Swansea's latest change of manager.
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But one of the key factors in determining his long-term future will of course be the opinion of Laudrup.
Monk is a stalwart of the Swansea playing staff having arrived at Vetch Field eight years ago and worn the armband on a full-time basis since Roberto Martinez's spell as a player came to an end in 2006.
A strong personality and consistent performer in central defence, he is the only player ever to have captained Swansea in all four divisions and has been widely tipped to take a role on the club's coaching staff when he eventually hangs up his boots.
But for all his determination to remain at a club he now considers his own, Monk is unlikely to be happy as a fringe figure in Laudrup's squad.
If it becomes apparent during the course of pre-season that he is going to be sidelined under Swansea's new management, Monk may be willing to consider the chance to move on.
For now, though, the 33-year-old's focus is sure to be on trying to impress Swansea's new man at the top.
Monk, who has made more than 250 Swansea appearances, played 18 times last season despite the fact that Ashley Williams and Steven Caulker were Brendan Rodgers's first-choice pairing at centre-back.
With Caulker now back at Tottenham after his season-long loan spell, Swansea are a club who need to strengthen their options in that department rather than limit them further.
Laudrup is interested in Genoa's Spanish central defender Chico Flores, but the Dane would not be swamped with defensive alternatives even if he arrives.
Monk still has two years to run on his Swansea contract, and will be entitled to a testimonial match in 2014.
It is therefore likely to require a considerable financial package to compensate him should he leave Swansea before his current deal expires. Bristol City have failed with a £250,000 bid for Coventry defender Richard Keogh already this summer, and they have also been linked with Cardiff's Anthony Gerrard.
Monk, like the rest of Swansea's squad, will meet Laudrup for the first time when pre-season training kicks off next Monday.
Laudrup was due to make a flying visit to the Liberty today after jetting into Britain yesterday.
It is thought he will meet the club's backroom staff for the first time before leaving these shores once more.
Comments
by PaulStuart
Sunday, July 15 2012, 6:17PM
“Why is this Monk history, and that of Bodde, still coming up as a top story on my screen? Any one else having the same problems?”
by Cwmdu
Saturday, July 07 2012, 10:38PM
“Perhaps monk doesn't want to stop playing !”
by brochadav
Saturday, July 07 2012, 5:31PM
“Marksy, ironically I hope your team gets relegated too. Do you get the joke?
PS, the joke is you.
Monk is too good for Bristol anyway, as a footballer and as a person. Not sentimentality from me, I really believe he can do a good coaching job for us, just like Curt.”
by Cwmdu
Friday, July 06 2012, 4:03PM
“Monk played under all our recent managers , out on loan for a season & back as a coach & future manager”
by OzJack
Friday, July 06 2012, 2:10PM
“Gary, the quote from Moneyball
'We're all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don't... don't know when that's gonna be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told'
You are too valuable for the club to lose, get your coaching certificate, become a player coach and make Swansea your long term home!”
by marksy1
Thursday, July 05 2012, 4:36PM
“by SpanishJack
You Welsh just don't have a sense of humor do you. Just a touch of irony mate !”
by SpanishJack
Thursday, July 05 2012, 1:21PM
“How do we attract idiots like Marksy and KKKK3333 (interesting results when you Google the latter by the way). As for GM. Agree that he may not feature too much next year but to Bristol? Surely he can attract a better retirement club. Not sour grapes Marksy, just an honest observation.”
by Philosoraptor
Thursday, July 05 2012, 12:40PM
“Garry, get your coaching badges done. You have been here to see the tiki-taka revolution from the start so you know you can replicate it in the future, we will always need somebody like yourself around in the Swans team even if it off the green stuff on match day.
:)”
by Jimmy_Blue
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 9:14PM
“"Monk and others like him who have traversed the divisions with us should be secured a position for life with the club if they want it"
Nonsense. If they've got something to offer on the coaching side fair enough. Let's not start getting into the habit of keeping people around for sentimental reasons.”
by JoH99
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 8:40PM
“Bristol City - aren't they League 1 strugglers these days? Don't think he'll want to drop to that level. Small club, small mentality. Thanks for the 1 million for LT though.”