Rio Ferdinand became the club's most expensive signing, British football's most expensive player and world football's most expensive defender when he signed from West Ham United for £18 million in November 2000. In his season-and-a-half at Elland Road, Ferdinand experienced the best of Leeds in the post-Wilkinson era. The club waded into the thick of the fight for the Premier League title and became the story of the Champions League in 2001. And Ferdinand was the first player to receive a 10/10 match rating from the YEP's Phil Hay on a night to remember when the Whites routed Deportivo La Coruna at Elland Road. READ MORE: 16 of the most iconic Leeds United photos of all time LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook
Photo memories of a class act whose Leeds United transfer broke records without breaking sweat
By Andrew Hutchinson
Published 16th Nov 2021, 16:15 BST
Updated 18th Nov 2021, 08:04 BST
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He was a class act whose transfer to Leeds United broke records without breaking sweat.
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