NEWS UPDATES: Leeds United’s most expensive signings of all time

In recent years, Leeds United have spent fairly freely, breaking their transfer record on several occasions during their three-year spell in the Premier League. But who is the Whites’ current record signing?

Football FanCast has taken a look at Leeds United’s most expensive signings in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Leeds United’s most expensive signings of all time
Rank Player Fee Signed from Year
1 Georginio Rutter €34m Hoffenheim 2023
2 Brenden Aaronson €32.84m RB Salzburg 2022
3 Rodrigo €30m Valencia 2020
4 Dan James €29.1m Man Utd 2018
5 Rio Ferdinand €26m West Ham 2000
6 Luis Sinisterra €25m Feyenoord 2022
7 Jean-Kevin Augustin €21m RB Leipzig 2022
8 Diego Llorente €20m Real Sociedad 2020
9 Raphinha €18.6m Rennes 2020
10 Robbie Keane €18m Inter 2001
11 Helder Costa €17.7m Wolves 2020
12 Tyler Adams €17m RB Leipzig 2022
13 Robbie Fowler €16.8m Liverpool 2001
14 Junior Firpo €15m Barcelona 2021
15 Joel Piroe €14m Swansea 2023
=16 Robin Koch €13m Freiburg 2020
=16 Rasmus Kristensen €13m RB Salzburg 2022
18 Jack Harrison €12.8m Man City 2021
=19 Max Wober €12m RB Salzburg 2023
=19 Marc Roca €12m Bayern Munich 2021

Here’s a detailed look at Leeds’ 10 most expensive signings:

10Robbie Keane

€18m from Inter

robbie-keane

Robbie Keane initially joined Leeds on loan, but following a fine start to life at Elland Road, made his move permanent from Inter in 2001.

However, Keane’s stay in Yorkshire was short-lived, and just 12 months after signing, partly due to the club’s poor financial situation, Keane was moved on to Tottenham Hotspur.

Year joined 2000
Appearances 56
Goals 19
Sold to Tottenham (2002, £7m)

9Raphinha

€18.6m from Rennes

raphinha-premier-league-whites-james-farke

Arguably Leeds’ best signing in recent years is Raphinha, who joined on deadline day in 2020. Under Marcelo Bielsa and then Jesse Marsch, the Brazilian winger starred in West Yorkshire and almost single-handedly kept the Whites up in 2021/22.

Following that, Raphinha got his dream move to Barcelona, with Leeds making a healthy profit in the process.

Year joined 2020
Appearances 67
Goals 17
Sold to Barcelona (2022, £55m)

8Diego Llorente

€20m from Real Sociedad

llorente-leeds-premier-league-koch-bielsa-transfer

Centre-back Diego Llorente was brought in ahead of Leeds’ return to the Premier League, with the Spaniard providing an experienced option in defence.

However, things never really went to plan for Llorente at Elland Road, who struggled to nail down a place under Bielsa or Marsch. He remains at the club, having spent the most recent season on loan at Roma.

Year joined 2020
Appearances 59
Goals 4

7Jean-Kevin Augustin

€21m from RB Leipzig

jean-kevin-augustin-leeds-united-premier-league

There were high hopes when Jean-Kevin Augustin signed for Leeds on loan when they were in the Championship, with an obligation to make a move permanent should they win promotion.

The Whites did go up, but Augustin didn’t live up to the hype, playing just 48 minutes for Leeds, who were involved in a long legal battle over making his deal permanent.

In the end, Leeds were ordered to pay the fee to RB Leipzig and £24.5m in compensation to the player, making him the most expensive player per appearance in football history.

Year joined 2020
Appearances 3
Goals 0
Sold to Nantes (2020, free)

6Luis Sinisterra

€25m from Feyenoord

luis-sinisterra-leeds-premier-league

Winger Luis Sinisterra had an injury-hit spell with Leeds after signing from Feyenoord in 2022, but did show his quality when fully fit.

The Colombian was part of the squad that was relegated from the Premier League before forcing an Elland Road exit in 2023, eventually making his loan move to Bournemouth permanent in February 2024.

Year joined 2022
Appearances 26
Goals 8
Sold to Bournemouth (2024, £20m)

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5Rio Ferdinand

€26m from West Ham

ferdinand-leeds-premier-league-transfer

The oldest signing in the top 10 is defender Rio Ferdinand, who Leeds signed from West Ham in 2000.

The centre-back went on to impress in Yorkshire, playing in the Champions League and starring for England in the 2002 World Cup as a Whites player before joining rivals Manchester United in a big-money exit.

Year joined 2000
Appearances 73
Goals 3
Sold to Man Utd (2002, £30m)

4Dan James

€29.1m from Man Utd

dan-james-leeds

Signed from Old Trafford in 2021, Dan James was a long-term target for Bielsa who nearly joined Leeds from Swansea City years prior before a dramatic deadline-day collapse.

The Whites eventually got their man, though, with James now making more appearances for Leeds than any other of his previous clubs.

Year joined 2021
Appearances 86
Goals 17

3Rodrigo

€30m from Valencia

rodrigo-leeds-bamford-premier-league-bielsa

Bielsa’s most expensive signing as Leeds manager was Spanish forward Rodrigo, who spent three years at Elland Road, scoring 28 goals in 97 appearances.

Rodrigo was mainly deployed just behind the striker, something which arguably didn’t play to his strengths, with his best season in front of goal for Leeds coming in the year the Whites were relegated.

Year joined 2020
Appearances 97
Goals 28
Sold to Al-Rayyan (2023, £3m)

2Brenden Aaronson

€32.84m from RB Salzburg

Aaronson-Leeds-premier-league-marsch-Elland-Road

Attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson was on the Leeds radar for a good six months prior to signing in 2022, quickly joining after the club ensured their Premier League status.

During his first year as a Whites player, the USA international struggled as Leeds were relegated, with a big-money deal looking like a poor piece of business.

Year joined 2022
Appearances 40
Goals 1

1Georginio Rutter

€34m from Hoffenheim

rutter-leeds-championship-farke

Top of the charts is Georginio Rutter, who has now won the Elland Road faithful over after an underwhelming start to life in West Yorkshire.

The French forward made his mark in the Championship during the 2023/24 season and is under contract until 2028, so Leeds fans will be hoping to see much more of Rutter over the coming years.

Year joined 2023
Appearances 64
Goals 8

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