Leeds struck gold with £12m star who’d be more valuable than Phillips today
Leeds United saw themselves relegated from the Premier League after the 2022/23 season, following a commendable three-year tenure in English football’s top tier.
Their descent from the league occurred less than a year after they chose to profit from the transfers of two key players during the summer of 2022, under the management of Jesse Marsch.
Marcelo Bielsa’s departure from Elland Road midway through the 2021/22 season prompted Sporting Director Victor Orta to capitalize on the market values of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha to generate funds for new signings. Unfortunately, these acquisitions failed to maintain the team’s position in the league.
According to Transfermarkt, the sales of Phillips and Raphinha currently stand as the most expensive departures in Leeds United’s history. Sky Sports reported Barcelona’s acquisition of Raphinha for £55m and Manchester City’s purchase of Phillips for £45m.
However, when adjusting for inflation in football transfer fees over the years, there have been sales that were more lucrative for the club at the time.
Jonathan Woodgate serves as a prime example, as his departure from Elland Road in 2003 amounted to a higher value than Phillips’ move to Manchester City in terms of today’s currency.
Jonathan Woodgate’s tenure at Leeds showcased impressive statistics:
As a product of the club’s youth system, Woodgate joined Leeds from Middlesbrough as a teenager without any transfer fee. He made his breakthrough into the first team during the 1990s, debuting against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in October 1998.
By the end of the 1998/99 season, he had accumulated 31 appearances across all competitions, with 25 in the Premier League and one in the UEFA Cup.
His outstanding performances led to his debut for the England national team against Bulgaria in the summer of 1999, illustrating his rapid rise in the professional football scene.
In the following season, Woodgate played 49 games for Leeds, contributing with a goal and two assists, including notable performances in the UEFA Cup.
Injury setbacks hindered his progress, limiting him to 27 Premier League appearances over the subsequent two seasons.
Woodgate regained consistency with 18 Premier League appearances in the first half of the 2002/03 season for Leeds, attracting interest from Newcastle United, who secured his services in January of that season.
