It is set to be a new era for Championship club Leeds United next season, when newly appointed manager Garry Monk aims to take the Whites back to the Premier League for the first time since 2004.

Monk has already rung the changes with a number of first team players leaving the club this summer including 31-year-old striker Mirco Antenucci, and former Manchester United youth academy centre back Scott Wootton.

The new manager has already made a move to add new players to his squad with Swedish striker Marcus Antonsson joining the Yorkshire club this week on a three-year contract.

It is a transfer that has divided opinion within the fan base of the club and beyond.

Football League World writer Steve Day has a looked at TWO pros and TWO cons of the former Kalmar FF player joining Leeds.

 

Pro - Convenience

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The obvious benefit of Leeds signing Antonsson is that they have a ready-made replacement for the outgoing Antenucci.

The Italian forward scored 19 goals in 75 appearances for United and was their second top scorer behind Chris Wood last season.

Antonsson's signature will mean that Wood has a strike partner ready for the upcoming season, and signing him now will give the pair time to work on their partnership during pre-season so they are familiar with each other come the first league games in August.

Many see Antonsson as a player who could play off Wood who would be used in a target man role.

It is uncertain what formation Monk will opt for but in Wood and Antonsson he has an effective strike partnership in the making.

Pro - Bargain

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Leeds owner Massimo Cellino has worked wonders getting Antonsson for such a small fee.

Nowadays you are looking at paying £3 million plus for a forward who has experience but Leeds have managed to get the Swedish man for a cut price.

This is a player who has scored goals wherever he has gone.

He bagged 11 goals for his first club Halmstad when he was still a youngster and he then scored more than one in every other game by netting 22 times in 40 games for Kalmar FF.

If you consider that Newcastle United, a Championship rival of Leeds this coming season, are looking to spend £10 million on Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle then the money paid for Antonsson feels like a nothing to lose acquisition.

Con – Unproven in the Championship

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The first concern for Leeds fan regarding Antonsson is whether or not he has what it takes to be a potent goal scorer in the Championship. So many players have come into the second tier of English football and failed to make an impact.

Yes, Antonsson has already scored 33 goals in the Swedish league but it is a completely different ball game over here.

A more physical approach is needed and there will be question marks over whether the Swedish forward has what it takes to cope at this level.

A word of warning comes from the history books. Burnley had Swedish striker John Guidetti on their books during the 2010/11 season. Guidetti's impact was almost non-existent.

He scored 1 goal in 5 appearances and was returned to his parent club Manchester City after he had joined them from Swedish side IF Brommapojkarna back in 2008. Guidetti is now a 12 cap international for Sweden and scored 12 goals for Celta Vigo in La Liga and the Copa del Rey last season but he couldn't cut it in the Championship.

Con – Round Pegs Into Square Holes

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During his time at Swansea, Monk played a versatile 4-2-3-1 and that set-up reaped rewards.

It would seem that he might stick with that approach to hopefully get equal success with Leeds and it would be inevitable that Wood would be the central striker due to his physicality.

Monk favoured the bigger attackers in that role at Swansea with Wilfried Bony and then Bafetimbi Gomis.

This would mean that Antonsson would either be left vying with Wood for that central striker role, or will be required to play wide out on the flanks as one of the two attacking wingers.

It would not be a position that would bring the best out of Antonsson.

The further dilemma is that due to Antonsson being new to the English leagues he would need some bedding in time to acclimatise.

This would require game time and regular involvement in the first team.

If Antonsson is repeatedly benched or played out of position then he will never get used to the pace and physicality of the Championship, and Leeds might well just have wasted almost £2 million of their transfer budget in one player.

Do you agree with the pros and cons listed here? Do you think Antonsson will be a hit or a flop at Elland Road? Let us know in the comments section below.