Leeds United are something of a sleeping giant in English football. Renowned for a particularly successful period under the groundbreaking management of Don Revie in the 1960s and 1970s, the decades that followed saw Leeds move between the second and first division, play in both the UEFA Cup and Champions League, survive financial crisis and decline, and then return to the first tier in July 2020, after 16 years out of the Premier League.

In total, the Elland Road residents have won the first division three times, secured four Second Division titles, the FA Cup once, the League Cup once, the Charity Shield twice and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice. With a trophy cabinet like that, there have been some legendary players have plied their trade for the Whites. With that in mind, here are 10 of the best signings made by Leeds United in the club’s 104 years of existence.

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10 Lucas Radebe

Leeds career span: 1994-2005

Although Lucas Radebe nearly became one of South Africa’s street crime statistics when he was shot in 1991, leading to the fall of a move to Besiktas, the Kaiser Chiefs centre-back found opportunity with Leeds in 1994.

Initially, the promising young defender, and future AFCON-winning Bafana Bafana man, was brought to Elland Road as company for compatriot Philemon Masinga. However, with a leadership and tenacity at the back that showed supporters he’d seemingly take a bullet for the badge, Radebe surpassed Masinga’s popularity almost immediately.

He arrived for a mere £250,000 and gradually, within his total 255 appearances for the Yorkshire club, he became both captain and firm fan-favourite. Radebe was a huge reason for Leeds’ continued Premier League status between the mid-90s and early 2000s, and led the team out in Europe, as well as to an FA Cup runners-up medal.

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9 Gordon Strachan

Leeds career span: 1989-1995

Despite the immense rivalry between Leeds and Manchester United, there are quite a few names that have bridged the divide. However, the number of players who have earned legendary status at both, is far smaller. Gordon Strachan is part of that minority.

The Scottish midfielder arrived at Elland Road in March 1989 after making over 150 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 1985’s FA Cup along the way. Strachan spent six years with Leeds after quickly striking a chord with supporters and becoming a fan favourite. In the season of his arrival, Leeds captured the second division title, with Strachan forming an unlikely partnership with Vinnie Jones.

1990-91 then saw Leeds power to fourth, as well as the League Cup semi-final. Such was Strachan’s influence, he was voted FWA Footballer of the Year for his performances that campaign, becoming the first player to win the award both in Scotland and in England.

Strachan signed a new two-year contract, before captaining Leeds to the league title in 1991-92, beating bitter rivals United and Alex Ferguson in the process. After this triumph, Leeds’ mini era of success capitulated after winning the Charity Shield in 1992, and Strachan eventually succumbed to age before moving on to Coventry City after making close to 200 appearances.

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8 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Leeds career span: 1997-1999

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink only featured at Leeds for two seasons, yet it speaks to his unbelievable magic in front of goal that he features in this article. After arriving from Porto-based club Boavista, following a stellar season that saw 20 league goals in 29 games, as well as winning the Taca de Portugal, Hasselbaink quickly established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in the country.

In the 1997-98 season he signed for £2 million, yet proved his worth with 26 goals in all competitions. The following term saw him net 18 goals in 38 appearances to share the three-way Golden Boot award with Michael Owen and Dwight Yorke. Leeds finished fourth, and thus secured UEFA Cup football.

However, with advice from his agent, Hasselbaink became dissatisfied with his wages, and ultimately departed to Atletico Madrid for £10 million in the middle of 1999, despite having two years remaining on his contract.

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7 Gary McAllister

Leeds career span: 1990-1996

Midfield maestro Gary McAllister joined Leeds in 1990 as a replacement for Vinnie Jones after the tough tackler departed for Sheffield United following a sole season at Elland Road. With the club having just won promotion to the top division, Jones was a huge part of the prior term’s success. McAllister joined compatriot Gordon Strachan in the midfield, along with understudies David Batty and Gary Speed.

Leeds finished fourth that season, before romping to the league title in 1991-92. The following seasons weren’t so good for Leeds, yet McAllister conjured plenty of fine performances powered by staunch loyalty and determination. Despite 1992-93’s defence of the title ending in a 17th-placed finish (one of the lowest finishes of a defending champion ever) McAllister captained Leeds for two seasons and, that same season, made his Champions League debut. However, he couldn’t stop his club from being knocked out by Rangers in the competition’s second round. McAllister also captained Leeds in 1996’s 3-0 League Cup final defeat to Aston Villa.

While success was varied for McAllister at Leeds, his 39 goals in 263 matches proved to be a solid return. Moreover, with the £2 million profit for the then-31-year-old’s move to Coventry in 96′, his time in Yorkshire is more than respectable.

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6 Tony Yeboah

Leeds career span: 1995-1997

Before Hasselbaink’s pair of scoring seasons, Tony Yeboah wrote the book on becoming a cult Leeds hero. The Ghanaian signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in January 1995 for £3.4 million and notched 12 goals in 21 games as the Whites finished fifth and qualified for the UEFA Cup.

If Leeds fans thought that was good, his second and last season made it look like a mere teaser as he powered in 19 goals in all competitions to seal the club’s Player of the Year award. That term, Leeds finished 13th in the league as they juggled continental football with domestic competitions, and unfortunate that it was, that Yeboah never lifted a trophy with Leeds – his highlight reel is a visual display of greatness in itself.

With a strike so clean, he could subvert the rules of physics. Yeboah’s volleys are up there with the speed of light and sound, and ridiculous goals against Liverpool and Wimbledon in the 1995–96 season were among his most notable. He was a regular feature in Goal of the Month in the Premier League and until Gareth Bale’s excellence in 2013, Yeboah was the only man to have won successive BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Month competitions. Unfortunately, Yeboah moved on from Leeds with the arrival of manager George Graham in 1997 and cut the figure of a man who had reluctantly fallen foul of a clash of personalities.

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5 Eric Cantona

Leeds career span: 1992

“As flies to wanton boys, we are for the gods, they kill us for their sport.” It’s apt that Eric Cantona went full circle with symbolic prose, as his time at Leeds in 1992 was very much alligned to an idea, or fleeting emotion – instead of a goal-toting period that boasted of hundreds of appearances. No, such was Cantona’s quality and gift, that all it took was a mere 34 appearances to make his mark for the Whites.

Cantona initially arrived at Leeds in January 1992 on loan from Nimes with a £100,000 fee for his services. The deal also stipulated a £900,000 permanent price tag. In his first term, Cantona made just 15 appearances, yet was still a key member of the squad that won the final First Division title before its rebranding to the Premier League. Goals weren’t rife, but he laid on a number of assists for top scorer Lee Chapman. Leeds then made the deal permanent as the run-in approached. Subsequently, the Whites went unbeaten in the final few fixtures, sealing the title on the penultimate weekend.

Despite a bright season start, form varied between the player’s appearances for club and country, and Cantona was eventually dropped as Leeds struggled in both the UEFA Cup and league. Furious at this fact, Cantona faxed through a transfer request – and the final nail in the coffin? Leaving Leeds for Manchester United for £1 million on 26 November 1992, capping off just the 11 action-filled months.

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4 Rio Ferdinand

Leeds career span: 2000-2002

Scouted by the great Frank Lampard Senior at West Ham, Rio Ferdinand developed into an impressive defender in East London. Such was the case, that Leeds shelled out £18 million for him in November 2000, which was a British transfer record at the time.

After a tricky start to life at Elland Road, the most expensive defender in the world settled well and cemented himself as a vital part of the side that reached the Champions League semi-final, of which he scored a crucial header in the quarters against Deportivo la Coruna. Other highlights during his Leeds spell included goals against Liverpool at Anfield as well as a scoring return to Upton Park.

The following season saw Ferdinand become the club captain, replacing Lucas Radebe. Despite Leeds’ failure to break into the top three and secure qualification for the UCL, Ferdinand continued to impress and during the 2002 World Cup, the rumour mill whirred into life. Later that summer, after Ferdinand’s impressive World Cup for England, Leeds accepted a bid of £29.3 million from Manchester United, and Ferdinand became the world’s most expensive defender for a second time.

3 Mark Viduka

Leeds career span: 2000–2004

Mark Viduka joined Leeds ahead of the 2000-01 season for £6 million and continued prolific form that had seen him shine at Dinamo Zagreb and Celtic. In his first term, the bustling and powerful finisher netted 22 goals in 53 appearances, unsurprisingly garnering interest from AC Milan and Manchester United.

While those clubs were likely quietly told where to go, Viduka continued some solid form, with an additional 16 goals across all competitions in 2001-02’s campaign. Leeds qualified for the UEFA Cup that year, yet the next season wasn’t so kind. Unfortunately, financial struggles began to take hold, and while the free-scoring Viduka exceeded his prior tallies with a 20-goal Premier League season, the free fall to the bottom of the table was well underway.

In Viduka’s final game for Leeds, the Whites found themselves relegated after a 4-1 defeat at Bolton. It ended a 14-year spell in the top division, and sadly, the inspired Aussie’s time at Elland Road, as he was sold on to Middlesbrough for £4.5 million to steady the sinking ship.

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2 Allan Clarke

Leeds career span: 1969–1978

Allan Clarke was one of the finest forwards in the country back in the 1960s and 1970s, and can perhaps consider himself unfortunate that he only won 19 England caps. However, where his international career was found wanting, his goal-laden club career with Walsall and Fulham saw Leicester City pay £150,000 in 1968, a British transfer fee record. After scoring 12 goals in 36 league games for the Foxes, Leeds United manager Don Revie paid £165,000 for the forward in 1969 – again breaking the transfer record.

This move was to be the final of Clarke’s career as he found a new home, scoring 26 goals in his first season at Leeds, earning the nickname “Sniffer” for his fine ability for “sniffing out” scoring opportunities. Although his first term ended trophyless, Clarke was in the Leeds side that won its second Fairs Cup in 1971 – scoring in the final against Juventus. Clarke also scored the only goal of 1971’s FA Cup final with a fine diving header.

Three years later, the peak of his career saw him Leeds’ top scorer as they won the league title in 1974, yet the great side fell apart with Revie’s taking of the England job. Clarke eventually left Elland Road in 1978 after 351 appearances and 151 goals.

1 Johnny Giles

Leeds career span: 1963–1975

After winning an FA Cup winner’s medal under Matt Busby at Manchester United, Irishman Johnny Giles moved to Leeds in 1963 where he’d eventually partner captain Billy Bremner. The duo formed a formidable central midfield pair which was widely regarded as one of the best in English and European club football.

Giles was an excellently technical player, yet is renowned for a tough streak. Upon being frozen out at United under Busby, the Dubliner uttered the truly chilling: “I am going to haunt him”. Haunt him, he most certainly did – as Don Revie captured Giles for £33,000 and found a solid foundation of which to build around.

In Giles’ first season, Leeds won the Second Division title. After near trophy misses, Giles helped the Whites to both the League Cup and the Fairs Cup in the 1967-68 season. The following term, Giles was instrumental in Leeds becoming league champions in a then-record 67 points from 42 matches (at two points for a win), a record that stood for ten seasons. In 1972, Leeds won their first FA Cup, and Giles’ second, and he’d inspire further glory in 1974 as Elland Road’s residents cruised to a second title. Giles left Leeds in 1975, with legendary status confirmed as fans later named him in the greatest Leeds XI of all time.