The Elland Road club squandered a tremendous talent who is now tearing it up in the Premier League.

Leeds United, like any other club, has had their fair share of transfer sadness or costly mistakes over the years, having notably missed out on a handful of high-profile stars who have gone on to thrive elsewhere in the European game.

One recent example was the inability of Victor Orta and co to sign Leeds-born phenomenon Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian marksman having been presented to those at Elland Road while at Molde during his teenage years.

Despite being available for a fee of under £4 million, the Whites’ financial troubles at the time guaranteed that no deal was ever completed, with the 6 foot 4 giant moving on to join Red Bull Salzburg in 2019.

The rest, as they say, is history, with Haaland scoring 29 goals in only 27 games for the Austrian team before collecting 86 goals in only 89 appearances for Bundesliga heavyweights, Borussia Dortmund, confirming his name as one of the most sought-after players in international fo

Now at Manchester City – who the 23-year-old joined on a £51m deal last summer – the prolific hotshot already has 60 goals to his name in just 65 games for Pep Guardiola’s side to date, having been a vital part in the club’s treble success in 2022/23.

The towering titan isn’t the only former Leeds target who is currently ripping it up in the Premier League, however, with the Yorkshire side likely to be ruing their failure to snap up the man who clinched victory for Arsenal against Haaland and City at the weekend – Gabriel Martinelli.

Back in February 2019, the Whites were enjoying their first season under the management of enigmatic coach, Marcelo Bielsa, with the Argentine tactician looking to end the club’s lengthy stint outside of England’s top tier.

owWhile that season would ultimately end in disappointment, it appeared at the time that Leeds had a real chance of achieving promotion, with Bielsa and co thinking ahead to potential additions they may make in the summer wind.

According to TEAMtalk, the promotion contenders, along with Watford, are interested in signing the highly-rated 17-year-old Martinelli from Brazilian lower league side Ituano, with the highly-rated 17-year-old valued at roughly £10m.

Despite the Elland Road hierarchy’s probable interest, as was the case with Haaland, no move ever materialised, with the quick-footed forward eventually heading to the Emirates later that year.

Despite the previous price tag of £10 million, the Gunners just needed £6 million to sign the young Brazilian in the summer of 2019, with the 5 foot 10 whiz having since made that figure look like a total steal.

Although injuries disrupted the winger’s early years in north London, he was still able to make a great initial impression in his new surroundings, netting 10 goals in just 26 games across all competitions during his rookie season.

The relatively unknown quantity made his debut against Nottingham Forest with a brace, having previously scored twice against Standard Liege and Liverpool in the Europa League and League Cup, respectively, that season.That exquisite double against Jurgen Klopp’s players piqued the interest of fans and analysts alike, with the Reds boss himself referring to Martinelli as a probable “talent of the century” due to his sky-high potential.

As previously noted, the 22-year-old “machine” – as acclaimed by journalist Simon Collings – hasn’t always had a smooth ride since then owing to injuries, but last season saw him notably burst under Mikel Arteta’s coaching.

With the Gunners locked in a title race with Manchester City, the £180k-per-week asset remarkably contributed 15 goals and five assists in the Premier League alone, forming half of a lethal offensive partnership with academy prodigy, Bukayo Saka.

Such form has continued into the current season, with Martinelli already having one goal and two assists from six top-flight appearances, most notably netting against the champions last time out to secure a critical 1-0 win.

To have been interested in the soaring talent when he was available for under £6 million will certainly sting Leeds, even if the Whites did got to enjoy a particular Brazilian gem of their own in Raphinha.

The current Barcelona trickster, who arrived in Yorkshire from Rennes in 2020, scored 17 goals and supplied 12 assists in 67 games for the Elland Road club during his two-year stay, proving to be a deadly weapon from the wings.

Despite his apparent talent, the 26-year-old may be argued that he is not on the same level as his compatriot, as evidenced by the fact that the former Sporting CP star is presently valued at just €80 million (£69 million), according to CIES.

Similarly, in contrast to Martinelli’s record last season, Raphinha scored seven goals and provided seven assists in La Liga, having failed to make an impression since arriving to Camp Nou for £55 million in 2022.

Martinelli’s relative youth also ensures he has plenty of time to develop, so it remains to be seen how good he can be in the coming years.

Of course, Bielsa and co loved their time with Raphinha, but missing out on a bargain Brazilian like the Gunners ace is a tough pill for Leeds to swallow.