Leeds United lie on the brink of the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.

Level on points with sixth placed Fulham with three games left to play, the final spots in the playoff race are sure to go down to the wire.

Away games at relegation threatened Burton Albion and Wigan Athletic will be tricky, and a home tie against mid table Norwich will be no walk in the park.

If Garry Monk’s men are to secure a top six finish, they will have to be at their very best over the coming weeks.

A number of players have performed extremely well this year including PFA Championship Team of the Year inductee Chris Wood, who leads the league’s goal scoring charts, and defender Pontus Jansson, whose performances have seen him linked with a move to Premier League Southampton.

If the season were to end today, Garry Monk’s side would unfortunately be resigned to another season of second tier football. The Yorkshire club have been out of the top flight for 13 years, and this season is the first for many years in which Leeds have flirted with promotion.

Due to Leeds current league position, we will take a look at two players that Monk should target if his side remain in the Championship, and will need to mount another promotion push next year.

Kyle Bartley

Former Arsenal defender, Bartley, is currently on loan at the club from Swansea City, and has impressed since his spell in West Yorkshire began at the start of the season. An England youth international in his past, Bartley has appeared 42 times for United this season, scoring 4 goals in the process, and has been integral to the success of Garry Monk’s side.

Bartley’s performances have not gone unnoticed, and reports suggest that several Premier League clubs are interested in a move for the player. If Leeds are to progress next season, signing Bartley would be a solid start to building a squad capable of going one step further should Leeds not go up this year.

It would take around £3.5 million to prise Bartley away from Swansea, who may also consider keeping the player should they face the dreaded drop this season. If Monk can convince the player his future lies at Elland Road and turn his attentions away from Premier League interest, then this signing could be a real statement of intent.

Max Gradel

The Ivorian international enjoyed a successful spell with Leeds at the start of the decade, and was a vital component in the side that gained promotion to the Championship in 2011.

The winger found the net 22 times in 63 Leeds appearances, including 18 goals during his one full season with the club. A spell in France with St Etienne followed, before Gradel returned to England with Bournemouth in 2015.

Although a regular in the international side, Gradel has seriously struggled for opportunities this season at Bournemouth, and a move this summer looks certain to happen. Leeds received 10% of the £7 million fee the Cherries parted with to bring the player in from France, and we may see that money go full circle and return to Bournemouth’s coffers if Monk swoops for the former White. Leeds fans have reacted well to news that the club may be interested in Gradel, and the winger would offer an added dimension to Leeds’ attack next season. Goals from the midfield are vital to a promotion push, and Leeds have often relied heavily on Chris Wood this season to find the back of the net. Gradel would take some of the pressure away from the big Kiwi, but also be useful in the strikers own pursuit of goals.

Bringing Gradel in would improve Monk’s squad, and further endear the gaffer to the club’s passionate fan base.