How Leeds United hero Mark Viduka almost left Elland Road for a massive £38m fee

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It has been more than 24 years since Leeds United reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, eventually losing to Valencia after a 3-0 aggregate defeat.

Leeds actually had to go through the qualifying stage even to win a place in the Champions League group stage, beating 1860 Munich home and away. No one saw Leeds reaching the semi-finals.

Highlights include Lee Bowyer’s winner against Milan at home, Dom Matteo’s header in the San Siro, which continues to be sung at Elland Road, a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp, and a 6-0 win over Besiktas.

Leeds played a total of 18 Champions League games in that season, with two group stages and qualifying. But a 3-0 loss at the Mestalla ended the run, with Valencia eventually losing to Bayern.

• READ MORE: Leeds star rated the fifth-best signing of the summer window by The Athletic

Mark Viduka was the star of the show in Leeds’ 2000-01 season

Mark Viduka’s stock was never higher. The Aussie had joined Leeds from Celtic for £6m at the start of the season and ended with stats of 22 goals in all competitions in 53 appearances, also laying on six assists.

The striker would end up staying at Elland Road until relegation in 2004, leaving with stats of 73 goals in 166 games. But Viduka could have left after just one season, following his sparkling first Leeds season.

Leeds beat Milan at home thanks to Dida’s blunder, and drew away. But Viduka left a lasting impression and he told ESPN in 2020 that Milan bid £38m for him – Leeds’ asking price – before rejecting the deal.

“I had the chance to join AC Milan at the end of the 2001 season, after we made the Champions League semifinal. [Leeds] were negotiating and wanted £38m. I was friends with Zvonimir Boban at the time.

“We were negotiating terms through him. [Milan] offered the £38m, and Leeds didn’t want to sell. That was that. I was a huge AC Milan fan. They were my favourite team. It just wasn’t to be,” Viduka said.

Only two players have scored more for Leeds after Mark Viduka

Viduka’s stats for Leeds are superb and made even more eye-catching by the fact that only two players have scored more for Leeds since. Viduka reckons he was better than Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez.

Jermaine Beckford and Luciano Becchio remain modern-day icons of the club, both scoring north of 73 goals albeit in The Football League. Then, the recently departed Patrick Bamford netted 60 Leeds goals.

In terms of Leeds’ record goalscorers, Viduka sits in 11th. Beckford is Leeds’ seventh-highest scorer and Becchio is slightly ahead in sixth, while Peter Lorimer remains miles out in front with a total of 195.