'Disbelief' over death of Swansea's Besian Idrizaj

Swansea captain Gary Monk said Besian Idrizaj had settled well at the club and was looking forward to playing more first team games

Swansea City captain Garry Monk said the players were in a "state of disbelief" following the death of 22-year-old striker Besian Idrizaj.

He said the Austrian was a "bright and intelligent lad" determined to claim a place in the first team next season.

Monk said the Swans planned a tribute at some point in the future but right now emotions were "extremely raw".

It is thought Idrizaj died in his sleep while at home with his family in Austria of a suspected heart attack.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Wales radio programme Monk said: "There's pretty much a state of disbelief right at this moment.

When I spoke to him last he was looking forward to having a good summer and coming back fighting fit, but that's not going to happen now. It's a sad, sad thing

Garry Monk

"He was a bright lad, he was intelligent and a really nice lad."

Idrizaj had been at the club for a year having previously been on the books at Liverpool and also had loan spells at Luton Town and Crystal Palace.

Monk said the player had taken a year out from football but had settled well in Swansea and was "happier than he had been for some time."

"I know he wanted to play a few more games but when I spoke to him last he was looking forward to having a good summer and coming back fighting fit, but that's not going to happen now. It's a sad, sad thing."

He said the players would want to arrange some sort of tribute in the future.

"I think right now it's extremely raw. You hear of these things but normally at other clubs. To be experiencing it yourself is extremely tough.

"Right now our thoughts are with the the family. Whatever we can do to comfort them, to help them and to pay tribute to Besian, we will definitely be doing."