Where would £21.9m move for Habib Diarra rank among Leeds United’s most-expensive signings

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Leeds United have reportedly made a bid for Strasbourg captain Habib Diarra as Adam Underwood steps up his search for new signings – but where would he rank in the club’s most-expensive buys?

Still only 21, Diarra has broken into Strasbourg’s senior side and remained a constant over the last three seasons. Already, the four-time Senegal star has clocked up 102 senior appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

Diarra was a key part of Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg over the last 12 months, as the French side missed out on European football on the final day of the Ligue 1 season. Strasbourg are set to sell a few players.

Diarra is one of them with plenty of clubs from the Premier League showing interest. However, it is Leeds that have made the first move with Leeds tabling a £21.9m bid to sign skipper Diarra from Strasbourg.

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Where would Diarra rank among Leeds’ most-expensive buys

Remaining at the top of the list is Georginio Rutter. His £35.5m move from Hoffenheim is still the club’s most-expensive buy of all time, and it would be a surprise to see his record broken this summer.

In second place is Spain international Rodrigo after Leeds paid £27m in the summer of 2020 following the club’s previous promotion back to the Premier League. Rodrigo is now in Qatar, on loan at Al Gharafa.

Next up comes Dan James after his £25m move from Man United and Brenden Aaronson, Jesse Marsch’s first signing, at £24.7m. In fifth place is Luis Sinisterra, who cost £400,000 more than the bid for Diarra.

Diarra, then, would be the sixth-biggest buy in the club’s history if Strasbourg accept Leeds’ first bid for the midfielder. It is claimed Strasbourg will delay on giving Leeds an answer to wait for further Diarra bids.

Who makes up the rest of top 10 at Leeds United?

The current sixth-biggest signing is Tyler Adams after costing a £20m fee, one of several players to form a reunion with Marsch during the 22-23 season, along with Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Max Wober.

Rio Ferdinand joined Leeds for £18m back in November from West Ham. Jean-Kevin Augustin ended up costing Leeds a transfer fee of £18m after a court case and Diego Llorente also cost Leeds an £18m fee.

Llorente left the club for a fraction of that after an injury-ravaged spell that also saw him go on loan to Roma for 18 months. The Spaniard is now at Betis, facing Leeds’ tenth-biggest signing in £17m Raphinha.