Bielsa sold a player for £7m, but his current value is 88% lower. The centre-forward was sold by the former Whites boss before their promotion to the Premier League.
Given the wonderful work he accomplished while managing Leeds United, Elland Road supporters ought to have good memories of the late manager.
The current manager of Uruguay’s national team and former head coach of Marseille had a fantastic tenure with Yorkshire, joining them in the Championship and leaving them contending as a Premier League team.
Within his first two seasons in charge, the 68-year-old manager and former sporting director Victor Orta collaborated to earn promotion to the top league, which was followed by a ninth-place result in the top division.
While some may look back on Bielsa’s additions and how successful they were, with the most costly signing highlighted below, the seasoned tactician also made wise selections about who to cash in on.
| Bielsa’s most-expensive Leeds signings | Fee (via Transfermarkt) |
|---|---|
| Rodrigo | £25.9m |
| Dan James | £25.1m |
| Jean-Kevin Augustin | £18.2m |
| Diego Llorente | £17.3m |
| Raphinha | £16.1m |
The summer 2019 transfer of center-forward Kemar Roofe to the Belgian team Anderlecht was one sale in which the Argentine manager struck gold.
The team needed to generate revenue through sales that year, according to former Whites owner Andrea Radrizzani, in order to avoid the league deducting points from them for their financial predicament.
This indicates that Bielsa’s decision to cash in on the Jamaica international was a wise one. His hand was somewhat forced with Roofe, but Elland Road had other resources.
Kemar Roofe goals scored for Leeds
The dynamic striker scored 33 goals in 122 appearances across all competitions during his three full seasons with the Yorkshire-based team.
He left Oxford United after a standout 2015–16 League Two season in which the gifted ace recorded an impressive 25 goals and 12 assists in 49 matches, including 17 goals and ten assists in 40 league appearances. He then joined Leeds.
The player, who was born in England, had trouble finding his form at the top of the field during his first season with Leeds. In 49 games during the 2016–17 season, Roofe contributed seven assists in addition to his four goals.
What price did Leeds receive for Roofe?
According to reports, Vincent Kompany’s Anderlecht signed the dependable number nine, and Bielsa and Leeds profited by signing him for a sizeable sum of £7 million.
With just one year remaining on his Elland Road contract, the Pro League team offered him an alluring pay raise, and the Whites received a sizable chunk of money in exchange for selling a player who would have been a free agent the following summer.
roofe-leeds-championship-bielsa-market-value-rangers
Bielsa had a need to fill at the top of the pitch after his departure, but it also gave Bamford a chance to stake a claim for a spot, which is exactly what he accomplished.
Where is Roofe currently?
At the age of 30, Roofe is presently a player for Scottish powerhouse Rangers after joining the Light Blues from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020.
After just one season with Kompany, the striker made 16 appearances across all competitions for the Belgian team, scoring seven goals before moving to Scotland.
With 37 goals in 86 games over his three and a half years in Glasgow, he has been a very consistent scorer for the Gers.
However, during his time in Scotland, his fitness history has been a major problem. Since the start of the 2020–21 season, Roofe has missed an incredible 84 competitive games due to seven different injuries.
This indicates that the 30-year-old attacker has been a liability due to his inconsistent availability as the former Leeds forward has nearly missed as many games as he has played for Rangers over the last three years.
What is Roofe currently worth?
Roofe’s Expected Transfer worth (xTV) is currently listed by FootballTransfers at £850k (€1m), indicating a significant decline in his market worth since leaving Elland Road.
Leeds paid the seasoned finisher £7 million for his services in the summer of 2019, thus his xTV of £850k is 88% less than that cost.
Although Roofe has been a fantastic goal scorer for the Scottish giants and was once referred to as a “Duracell bunny” by former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard, his fitness troubles have prevented him from being worth nearly as much as the Whites paid for him four years ago.
Since the 2018–19 season with Leeds, he has not played more than 21 league games in a single season, therefore his team cannot count on him to play regularly.
Rangers manager Michael Beale revealed striker Kemar Roofe has been sent for a scan with no timescale on his recovery from a groin injury. Roofe missed most of last term injured.
Since his injury problems have caught up to him and his market value has significantly declined, Bielsa made the right decision to trade the former Oxford United star in 2019. This shows that the English club pounced on him at the ideal moment.
The fact that Roofe’s departure also helped Bamford flourish in the final third and propel Yorkshire to the Premier League demonstrates that the team did not miss the Jamaican marksman’s skills on the field.
Read also: Axed – Chris Sutton’s Final Dig At Sacked Rangers Boss “Michael Beale” Following Long-term Feud
