Blimey, we’ve had some right attackers over the last 25 years or so, haven’t we. Even writing that number has made me realise how old I am as well – wow, time bloody flies – it only seemed like yesterday when we were playing Champions League football.
When I think back to the squad we had and the calibre of players we were able to attract, it makes me hope we are heading back in this direction again. At least, when we were last in the Premier League, we hooked some exciting signings, so there’s every chance, right?
Anyway, I’ve been sat here munching away on my Yorkshire tea cake with a cuppa and it’s got me thinking, who the best attacking signings we’ve made, at least since 2000 and it turns out, there’s quite a few.
So, I’ve just blown the crumbs off my notepad and appeared to have what looks like a fine ensemble of players here in front of me, so in no particular order, you’ll find who I’ve come up with below. I’d be interested to know if any of you lot would replace any of these!
| Player | Signed From | Date Joined | Fee (£) | Appearances | Goals | Date Left | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Viduka | Celtic | August, 2000 | 6 million | 130 | 59 | July, 2004 | Middlesbrough |
| Robbie Keane | Inter Milan | December, 2000* | 12 million | 18* | 9* | August, 2002 | Tottenham Hotspur |
| David Healy | Preston North End | October, 2004 | 650000 | 111 | 29 | July, 2007 | Fulham |
| Luciano Becchio | Merida | July, 2008 | Free | 221 | 87 | 41275 | Norwich City |
| Ross McCormack | Cardiff City | August, 2010 | 350000 | 144 | 53 | July, 2014 | Fulham |
| Jermaine Beckford | Wealdstone United | March, 2006 | 50000 | 126 | 71 | May, 2010 | Everton |
| Chris Wood | Leicester City | July, 2015 | 2.5 million | 83 | 41 | August, 2017 | Burnley |
| Raphina | Rennes | October, 2020 | 17 million | 65 | 17 | July, 2022 | Barcelona |
| Pablo Hernandez | Al Arabi | August, 2016* | Undisclosed | 15* | 3* | 44378 | Castellon |
| Robbie Fowler | Liverpool | November, 2001 | 12 million | 30 | 14 | January, 2003 | Manchester City |
Key: * = On loan
Mark Viduka
I thought, let’s get him out the way – I’m not going to drag it out, but he’s gotta be the best attacking signing we’ve made, surely? I mean, he could pretty much do everything and I reckon was as much of a threat as Alan Shearer on his day – he was definitely a similar-ish style of player I think.
That quad he scored against Liverpool in our famous 4-3 win at Elland Road was outrageous, his Champions League contribution, the winner against Arsenal at Highbury, that basically kept us up, but sent the title to that lot across the Pennines.
You’ll be surprised by this probably, but in 130 appearances, he got 59 – not bad at all, he was so effective and brought a lot of others into play and he could partner anyone up top as well. Also, £6 million – I think even then (2000), it was a bit of a bargain.
Robbie Keane
Played in the same squad as Viduka and when we signed him (initially on loan), it’s fair to say I was excited. Though, he didn’t score as many as you might think with 13 goals in 46 appearances and nine of them coming while he was on loan. At the time though, we did have four or five attackers (Harry Kewell was a bit of a winger/striker hybrid weren’t he?), so I think he got rotated quite a bit.
Robbie Fowler
To attract a player of this quality for me, was incredible – and from one of our rivals for the Premier League (how weird does that sound?!), Liverpool as well. Arriving in 2001, he might have only made 30 appearances for us, but with 14 goals, this ain’t a bad return I don’t think.
When you think about it, we had Viduka, Keane, Fowler, possibly Kewell and Alan Smith all competing for two spots up front. I think Micheal Bridges might have even been there for some of this period as well and he weren’t too shabby either from what I remember!
David Healy
I’ve gotta admit, I’d forgotten him – good old Google, eh? But, he was part of that class Championship side we had and Healy was prolific for us, often played out of position on the right wing at times, with boss Kevin Blackwell usually preferring two from Rob Hulse, Robbie Blake and Richard Cresswell up front.
I was pretty surprised by his goal return though for us – 29 strikes in 111 appearances, though the finances are even more eye-opening. Just £650,000 from Preston North End – and we made a profit on him, selling for £1.5 million to Fulham.
Luciano Becchio
I mean, where do you even start? What a player he was – I know we were only in League One, but he was a cut above. He came on for free after a trial and went on to score 87 times in 221 games.
A great character who we all loved, for me he’s up there as one of the best attacking signings we’ve made, when you consider the impact he had and the effect he had on us. Just cracking.
Jermaine Beckford
Him and Becchio up top in League One put the fear of God into probably every defence in that division. When Beckford came in – for £50,000 no less, I was pretty curious – he’d been smashing it in non-league and then after we loaned him out to Scunthorpe United where he was pretty prolific, I was excited to see what he could do for us in the third tier.
At that level, a class act – I just would have loved to have kept hold of him for the Championship – I think he’d have made the step up comfortably.
Ross McCormack
Signed as Beckford’s replacement – we needed a striker with some Championship experience and for £350,00 from Cardiff City, we got a hell of a deal. Scoring 53 goals in 144 games, we really should have gone up during this period – at times I thought we were one of the best teams in the league – we just made stupid mistakes at the back. Though, Fulham gave us £11 million for him – what a deal there!
Chris Wood
Well, we didn’t really replace McCormack as such did we, so when Wood came in for £2.5 million from Leicester City one year after, it seemed quite obvious to me how Garry Monk was going to play – I was unsure about Wood at first though, I’ve gotta admit.
But, wow – that season and how we didn’t get a play-off spot, basically sums us up as a club over the last 20 years or so. He was probably one of our most effective frontmen of the last 10 years though – possibly the closest to Viduka, in that old-fashioned centre forward role. And with 41 goals in 83 games, it banked us a reported £15 million when Burnley came calling for him.
Pablo Hernandez
Not exactly what you’d call an orthodox attacker, though when he came in at the level we were, I was excited by what he might do for us. It wasn’t until Bielsa came in that we really started to see just how good he was. For me, probably the best player in the Championship over the course of three seasons – head and shoulders above everyone else.
Raphinha
Where to start? When we brought him in, I couldn’t wait to see how he’d do and, boy if, he didn’t disappoint!
At the time, probably one of the most exciting players in the Premier League, though, I think he should have had a better return than 17 goals in 65 games. We did struggle in his last season though. To get £50 million for him – a record transfer receipt for us, was more than fair, but definitely the most exciting (note – not the best) player we’ve signed I think.
Leeds United can confirm Raphinha has today completed a transfer to FC Barcelona for an undisclosed fee.
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 15, 2022
Final Thoughts
Well, how about that, eh? There’s probably not too many I don’t think that you could put in there. I toyed with Patrick Bamford, but we’ve still got him and he hasn’t really been himself for a couple of years, but wow, he delivered for us in his heyday and got a great haul in our first season back in the big-time – just a shame he couldn’t convert his form for England.
I guess Jack Harrison as well – to be fair, he got a decent return for us, especially in the Premier League – and his goals in our second season probably kept us up. But, I think on balance, those I put in the top 10 were all effective in their own way.
