Thomas Christiansen is convinced that he can inspired Chris Wood to even greater heights at Leeds United next season.
The New Zealand international was voted the club’s player of the year and made the three-man shortlist for the Championship player of the year on the back of his goal-drenched campaign under former manager Garry Monk in 2016-17.
Wood topped the division’s scoring charts with 27 goals and struck 30 times in all competitions to nearly fire Leeds into the play-offs.
WATCH: New #LUFC head coach Thomas Christiansen speaks to @derekclarksport about becoming the boss of the Whites ??https://t.co/MqNkTqAjv4 pic.twitter.com/hfzd9jLmYe
— Radio Yorkshire (@Radio_Yorkshire) June 19, 2017
The striker, 25, impressed new manager Christiansen with his performances from afar, but the new manager believes there is even more to come from a player who has attracted covetous glances from top-flight clubs and made that clear during his interview with the Elland Road hierarchy for the job.
Asked if Wood will be around to spearhead Leeds’ promotion challenge, the Dane, 44, told Radio Yorkshire: “I hope. He was a very important player and for me he will be the same important player in the team.
“That was one of the things that I mentioned in the meeting, not that I want him to stay, it’s obvious when a man scores so many goals you want him in the squad, but how I would help him improve more than what he did.
“I know that’s difficult because he made a lot of goals, but we all want more from ourself and I believe that with the way we want to play we can help to increase in all the lines.”
Wood is currently on international duty with New Zealand and is captaining his country at the Confederations Cup in Russia as the representative of the Oceania continent.
He is due to return to pre-season training later than his teammates, with the first batch set to be at the club’s Thorp Arch headquarters on Friday for routine medical tests.