How much money Leeds United spent on transfers when they were last promoted to the Premier League as champions

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Leeds United are heading back to the Premier League as Championship champions and here is how much they spent in the transfer window the last time that happened.

The wild parties are going to continue for some time yet as Leeds United been crowned champions following their Premier League promotion.

Daniel Farke’s side defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-1 on the final day of the season to pip Burnley to the post, with a goal from Willy Gnonto and Manor Solomon’s dramatic last-gasp winner getting the win.

It brings a gruelling, emotional campaign to a close but the hard work has only just begun as Leeds now need to meticulously prepare this summer to ensure they are ready for the Premier League.

Last season’s promoted sides – Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton – all went straight back down, showing the scale of the task at hand.

Farke has already demanded the 49ers show ambition in the transfer market and Leeds know very well investment will be needed to improve the squad this summer.

But Leeds have managed to stay up after promotion in recent memory and here is how much they spent on doing so.

How much Leeds United spent on return to the Premier League

The beloved Marcelo Bielsa guided Leeds to the promised land after a 16-year wait and did so by keeping his squad remarkably small and complementing his options with academy starlets.

Yet, even he sanctioned several big additions to his squad before his maiden Premier League campaign.

Here’s everyone Leeds signed that summer:

Leeds signed eight players in 2020, though Jean-Kevin Augustin didn’t actually stay as he moved to Nantes on a free transfer after an injury-ridden stint on loan.

Leeds had agreed to sign Augustin permanently from RB Leipzig for £18m if promoted but tried wiggling out of it, only succumbing to coughing up the money – plus extra in compensation – after being ordered to by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

So, the total outlay for the summer wound up being £118m, though the £24.5m for Augustin didn’t get added until further down the line.

The best piece of business by far was the signing of thrilling winger Raphinha, who moved to Barcelona for £55m two years later after dazzling Elland Road and is now a contender to win the Ballon d’Or.

What Leeds would give to find another signing like that this summer.

Leeds United will have to spend a similar amount this time

Leeds invested in their squad in 2020 and remarkably finished 9th on their first season back in the first division, though it was bittersweet with fans unable to attend during the pandemic.

But transfer fees have only inflated further since and even around £100m wouldn’t get the level of player Leeds got back then.

It’s going to take some serious investment for Leeds to stay up, which is almost a necessity amid plans to significantly expand Elland Road.

In another lesson the club can take from the 2020 window, every signing, other than a young Illan Meslier (who won Ligue 2 in France) Joe Gelhardt, was from a first division club.

There was no signing of the best players from the Championship, they were all players with high-level experience, which helped them adapt to the Premier League quickly. It’s something Leeds should look to replicate.