A world-class XI of players Leeds United missed out on: Gvardiol ...

Leeds United made their long-awaited return to the Premier League in 2020, Marcelo Bielsa having led them back to the promised land after a 16-year exile.

But while optimistic Leeds fans dreamt that meant they were back for good, their top-flight return only lasted three seasons before they ended up back in the Championship. Bielsa was sacked midway through that period while their eventual relegation under Sam Allardyce asked serious questions of the club’s recruitment under sporting director Victor Orta.

During that period, Leeds are said to have identified and tried to sign several players who have since proven themselves world-class elsewhere. We’ve identified an outrageously good XI of players Leeds might’ve signed.

GK: Emiliano Martinez

“I know they like Martinez at Arsenal,” The Athletic’s former Leeds reporter Phil Hay tweeted back in the summer of 2020.

After promotion was secured, it was uncertain whether Leeds would go after a goalkeeper. Kiko Casilla hadn’t convinced and had an FA charge for racism hanging over him, while at that point Illan Meslier was relatively untested.

Leeds ended up sticking with what they had, putting their faith in Meslier, while Martinez went to Aston Villa and has since played a vital role in their transformation into a Champions League club.

He’s also picked up the Yashin trophy for the best ‘keeper in world football in back-to-back years, in large part thanks to his heroics on the international stage in Argentina’s World Cup and two Copa America triumphs.

Meanwhile, Meslier impressed on Leeds’ first season back up but has since stagnated. Signing an upgrade remains an ongoing discussion within the Leeds fanbase. What might’ve been, eh?

RB: Nahitan Nandez

Alright, “world-class” might be a stretch here but industrious Uruguayan utility man Nandez was a frequent fixture in the gossip columns back in the day.

It would’ve been interesting to see the path his career might’ve taken had Marcelo Bielsa, now his boss at Uruguay, got his hands on him at club level. Just look at the fortunes of Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas.

Nandez eventually left Cagliari after five seasons this summer, signing for Saudi Pro League outfit Al Qadsiah. We believe there’s an alternative reality out there where he’s performing in a top European league.

CB: Ben White

After playing every minute in the promotion campaign on loan from Brighton, it was no surprise when Leeds made numerous attempts to sign the rising star on a permanent deal.

Leeds saw three bids, the last of which reportedly in the region of £25million, knocked back. They ended up signing Robin Koch and Diego Llorente for a combined £30million instead – but in hindsight, you wonder if that money might’ve been better used really testing Brighton’s resolve.

White spent a full season back at his parent club and was sold to Arsenal for £50million the following summer. People quibbled over the fee at the time, but he’s proven an adept signing for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

CB: Josko Gvardiol

Leeds identified Gvardiol as one of Europe’s top young centre-backs when he was still at boyhood club Dynamo Zagreb. They tried to woo him, but the young defender had a different idea for his career progression and it’s not turned out too badly for him.

“Bielsa was the coach and I don’t know if you know this but my goal in my career is to play in the Premier League,” he later told The Times.

“I didn’t speak with Bielsa but of course he sends a few people and they came to Zagreb. I met these guys and they show me it was something like a plan how they see me in their style of football.

“I mean, when they presented it everything looked good and you could maybe see yourself there in that moment.

“I knew that I needed to take a few steps more before I get [to the Premier League] one day. At the end Leipzig is a really good club and I feel good here.”

LB: Milos Kerkez

Reports in the spring of 2023 suggested that Leeds were in pole position to sign the Hungarian following an eye-catching breakthrough campaign at AZ Alkmaar.

But soon enough their relegation quashed that dream and Bournemouth – who finished four places and eight points ahead of Leeds – took advantage.

Now the 21-year-old is being talked up as one of the best young full-backs in Europe. He’s proven his Premier League quality and has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool.

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RW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Now established as one of Europe’s most exciting footballers, Leeds reportedly scouted Georgian wing wizard Kvaratskhelia when he was still at Russian club Rubin Kazan.

Before he became a household name with a starring role in Napoli’s surprise Scudetto a couple of years back, ‘Kvaradona’ briefly returned home to Georgia with Dinamo Batumi following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From there he went to Italy and the rest is history. Looking back, he’d have been the perfect, difference-making superstar replacement for Raphinha, who departed for Barcelona that summer.

We’ve shunted him onto the opposite wing here for the purposes of this XI, but we had to get him in somewhere.

CM: Rodrigo De Paul

“Rodrigo de Paul is ready to move to Leeds United… and just confirmed the news,” Fabrizio Romano tweeted back in the summer of 2020.

“It’s up to the two clubs. Negotiations ongoing but Udinese want €40million.”

The Argentinian winner subsequently spent time flirting with Leeds fanzine The Square Ball, but no transfer ever materialised. He stayed put at Udinese for another season before moving to Atletico Madrid.

His work rate has made him a real favourite of Diego Simeone’s, while his legs were essential in supporting Lionel Messi in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar. It’s not hard to see why Bielsa would’ve wanted him.

CM: Teun Koopmeiners

Nowadays established as one of the best midfielders in Serie A, Koopmeiners is said to have been on Leeds’ radar when he was a fresh-faced Netherlands youth international breaking through at AZ Alkmaar.

Central midfield was an area oddly neglected in terms of investment during Bielsa’s time at the club.

Atalanta ended up signing Koopmeiners in 2021 and he spent three years in Bergamo before an inevitable big-money move to Juventus.

LW: Cody Gakpo

“People might think I’m strange,” Gakpo told ESPN of his options back in the summer of 2022.

“I could go to Southampton, Leeds came into the race and PSV wanted me to stay. I presented the three options I had to God. If I scored once, I would go to Southampton. If I scored twice I would go to Leeds and if I scored three I would stay at PSV.”

The forward scored a hat-trick against FC Volendam just before the transfer window closed and ended up staying put for half a season before moving to Liverpool. You’d have to say scoring three that day has worked out alright for him.

READ: Where are they now? Leeds United’s 3 wonderkids from Football Manager 2015

ST: Victor Gyokeres

“When I was at Leeds United I didn’t want to give [£11.7] million for him,” former sporting director Victor Orta told postgraduate students at the Liga Portugal Business school

“Cases like that of Gyokeres are the good surprises that football gives us, those things that we cannot measure.”

That’s one way of looking at it.

With Rodrigo injured and Patrick Bamford out of form in the latter half of the 2022-23 relegation campaign, Leeds were crying out for firepower but passed up the opportunity to sign Gyokeres from Coventry in the winter window.

Instead, Leeds signed Georginio Rutter for a club-record £40million. The French striker went on to become something of a fan favourite at Elland Road and was eventually sold on for an unlikely profit, but he made zero impact as Leeds toiled against the drop.

Given what Gyokeres has gone on to become at Sporting, there’s every reason to believe he would’ve kept Leeds up that January.

ST: Ollie Watkins

“There were quite a few (clubs interested). Leeds were interested in me, but they signed Rodrigo,” Watkins told Sky Sports.

Indeed, numerous reports suggested that Leeds were on the verge of signing the striker from Brentford before a late U-turn resulted in them signing Spain international Rodrigo instead.

Rodrigo had his moments at Elland Road, particularly in his final season, but it’s difficult not to look back at what Watkins has gone on to achieve at Aston Villa and conclude that Leeds made the wrong decision after going up in 2020.

Honourable mention to Lille’s Jonathan David, who was a recurring character in the transfer rumour mill for several windows running.