In the last 25 years, Leeds United they cashed in on a number of stars, most recently after failing to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
The Whites have completed deals with Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United, but who is Leeds’ most expensive departure of all time?
Football FanCast took a look at Leeds United’s most expensive sales in their history, according to Transfermarktwith a detailed overview of the top 10.
|
Leeds United’s most expensive sale of all time |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
compensation |
Sold |
Year |
|
1 |
Raphinha |
55 million pounds |
Barcelona |
in 2022 |
|
2 |
Calvin Phillips |
45 million pounds |
Man City |
in 2022 |
|
3 |
Georginio Rutter |
40 million pounds |
Brighton |
in 2024 |
|
=4 |
Archie Gray |
30 million pounds |
Tottenham |
in 2024 |
|
=4 |
Rio Ferdinand |
30 million pounds |
Man Utd |
in 2002 |
|
6 |
Crysencio Summerville |
25 million pounds |
West Ham |
in 2024 |
|
7 |
Tyler Adams |
20 million pounds |
Bournemouth |
in 2023 |
|
8 |
Luis Sinisterra |
20 million pounds |
Bournemouth |
in 2024 |
|
9 |
Chris Wood |
15 million pounds |
Burnley |
in 2017 |
|
10 |
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink |
12 million pounds |
Atletico Madrid |
in 1999 |
Here’s a detailed look at Leeds United’s top 10 sales…
10
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
£12 million for Atletico Madrid, 1999
Leeds United was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s first foray into English football, with the Dutch striker joining from Boavista in 1997.
Hasselbaink finished joint winner of the Premier League Golden Boot in his second season, and after a dispute over a new contract, was sold to Atletico Madrid for £12mwith the club earning five times the fee they paid for the striker.
Connected
9
Chris Wood
£15m for Burnley, 2017
Striker Chris Wood arrived at Elland Road from Leicester City in 2015 and enjoyed two solid seasons with the club, scoring 30 goals in all competitions during the 2016/17 season.
His displays caught the eye of Burnley and the lure of Premier League football convinced Wood to move to Turf Moor, resulting in a healthy income for the Whites. following his £15m move.
8
Luis Sinisterra
£20m for Bournemouth, 2024
Luis Sinisterra was one of a number of players to exercise his relegation loan clause to leave Elland Road in 2023, returning to the Premier League with Bournemouth.
Jaidon Anthony moved to Leeds on loan from Cherries and in February 2024 Sinisterra moved to the south coast made permanent for a fee of £20 million.
7
Tyler Adams
£20m for Bournemouth, 2023
A few weeks before Sinisterra joined Bournemouth on loan, midfielder Tyler Adams swapped Elland Road for the Vitality Stadium on a permanent transfer, reportedly worth more than £20 million.
The American international’s one campaign in West Yorkshire ended in relegation, but Leeds made a small fortune on Adams, while his sale also kept the club in line with FFP.
6
Crysencio Summerville
£25m for West Ham, 2024
After performing in the Championship and winning the 2024 League Player of the Year award, it was no surprise that Leeds’ failure to return to the top flight resulted in the departure of Crysencia Summerville.
Leeds signed Summerville from Eredivisie giants Feyenoord for a fee believed to be in excess of £1m, resulting in a huge cash-in when West Ham triggered an exit clause that cost the Hammers £25m.
5
Rio Ferdinand
£30m for Man Utd, 2002
Defender Rio Ferdinand was Leeds’ record departure 20 years after him joined rivals Manchester United in 2002 for a whopping £30 million.
Signed by West Ham in 2000, Ferdinand went from strength to strength at Elland Road and after Leeds’ financial problems, the Red Devils took advantage and made him the most expensive British footballer in history at the time.
4
Archie Gray
£30m for Tottenham, 2024
Academic graduate Archie Gray only made his debut for Leeds at the start of the 2023/24 season and less than 12 months later he was joined Spurs in a massive £30m deal.
Gray starred in midfield and right-back in the Championship and was another who had a release clause after Leeds lost at Wembley to Southampton in the play-off final.
3
Georginio Rutter
£40m for Brighton, 2024
Like Summerville and Gray, Georginio Rutter also left Leeds in 2024 and was another to have his release clause activated after the club failed to gain promotion.
Brighton triggered the free hours clause and the Whites cashed in on the fee they paid Hoffenheim in 2023. Rutter’s sale for £40m was the largest sum they received in the summer.
2
Calvin Phillips
£45m for Man City, 2022
Academic graduate Kalvin Phillips has been transformed by Marcelo Bielsa, becoming a key cog at Argentinian side Leeds between 2018 and 2022.
The holding midfielder even played for England and helped Leeds to the Premier League, resulting in Manchester City and Pep Guardiola taking Phillips to the Etihad for £45m. However, Phillips held the record as Leeds’ biggest departure for just 11 days…
1
Raphinha
£55m for Barcelona, 2022
Leeds United’s most expensive sale of all time is Raphinha, who is also arguably the most talented player the Whites have had this millennium.
Signed from French side Rennes on deadline day 2020, Raphinha helped Leeds finish ninth in his first season in the Premier League and almost single-handedly kept Leeds in 2022 before sealing his dream move to Camp Nou after a £55m transfer.
