Cambridge United boss Garry Monk keen to add more attackers before transfer window closes

Cambridge United head coach Garry Monk has revealed that he is particularly keen to bolster his attacking options before the transfer window closes later this month.

The U’s went into the summer break without a senior striker on their books following the release of both Fejiri Okenabirhie and Lyle Taylor, while Gassan Ahadme and Macauley Bonne returned to their respective loan clubs.

Shayne Lavery and Ryan Loft have since been recruited to off-set some of those departures, but Monk is well aware that further alternatives are required in the final third of the pitch.

And while the boss is also looking to make further additions elsewhere on the pitch, his thought process on that front is more flexible.

Monk, who has revealed that Jubril Okedina may still have a future with the club despite being transfer listed, said: “We lost or moved on around 11 or 12 players and then we’ve had a couple of issues within the squad like Mamadou’s (Jobe) injury.

“We’ve been close to a couple and then those deals have fallen through.

“Offensively, it’s great we’ve got in Shayne and Ryan but that’s still an area of the pitch we need to strengthen because it’s a long season.

“And the other positions are kind of open. I said right at the start of the summer that I don’t just want to bring a number in – a squad player just to fill in. They’ve got to be at least as good as, if not better than what we’ve got already.

“It depends on the quality we can get – that’s more what I’m interested in.”

So far this summer Monk and sporting director Ben Strang have recruited eight new players.

And it has been a slightly different process for Monk, who in previous jobs has had the weight of the likes of Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Premier League Swansea City behind him.

Nevertheless, Monk has found more clarity at Cambridge – something that he believes is a big selling point.

He added: “Each club is different in terms of what you can offer and what you can do. We’re talking about levels and things like that, but it’s the same sort of principles.

“Here we have to work a lot harder and we have different constraints that we have to follow, but in terms of what we’re trying to preach and the football side of it – I think those are huge selling points for this club

“It’s more than some of the other clubs I’ve been at because the way that the club is run, there is a real alignment and that’s an attractive proposition when you also factor in the training ground and the environment that is there.

“From the player side of it, of course we want to try and get as good as a player as we can.

“You’re trying to convince players that this is a platform to play football and maybe we’re in the market where players haven’t had such a good period previous to this.

“But here’s an opportunity that if done right, you can come in, enjoy the environment, enjoy your football, play good football and play for a good club.”