Leeds were bled dry by Bielsa signing who earned 2x James’ wage

Leeds United will pray that their winless run of two Championship video games is not prolonged additional when Blackburn Rovers come to Elland Street this Saturday, Daniel Farke’s males needing a confidence-boosting victory in opposition to the Riversiders to get all the things again on observe once more.

Quite a lot of key performers within the 0-0 draw with Sunderland let themselves down, none extra so than Daniel James who was ineffective all through when his bursts ahead often end in a gap stepping into Leeds’ favour.

James’ heroics elsewhere this season means a blip right here and there might be forgiven, with different attackers in Leeds’ current historical past irritating followers far more by placing in abject shows steadily.

Rodrigo shone occasionally for the Whites, however his hefty wage – which noticed him earn two occasions James’ present wage when nonetheless on the membership – means his transfer goes down as an costly flop regardless.

Rodrigo’s wage at Leeds

Rodrigo would are available in as Leeds’ highest earner throughout all of his three seasons in West Yorkshire, raking in an eye-watering £100k-per-week after relocating from Valencia to hitch Marcelo Bielsa’s ranks.

The price of that extreme wage over the three topsy-turvy years Rodrigo was current at Leeds is much more jaw-dropping, with Leeds dropping an estimated £15.6m on the Spaniard alone in accordance with Capology.

His weak aim return means that this an costly gamble that did not work in any way for Bielsa and co, with the Spanish centre-forward bagging a meagre 28 objectives from 95 appearances.

15 of these strikes did come through the 2022-23 marketing campaign nonetheless, which noticed Rodrigo at the least provide the Whites one thing constructive throughout their disastrous relegation to the Championship, however there isn’t any doubt that the present Al-Rayyan SC attacker nonetheless goes down as an costly misfire from a Leeds perspective.

No matter this impactful closing season, the lasting legacy of Rodrigo in a Leeds shirt was summed up by ex-striker Kevin Phillips who described his time at Leeds as “disappointing” in 2022.

Remarkably, Rodrigo was on £50k greater than James is presently who – minus his off-day in opposition to the Black Cats – has been tearing up the second tier with unbelievable performances changing into second nature for the Welshman.

Rodrigo’s wage in comparison with the present Leeds squad

Rodrigo would nonetheless be sitting proper on the prime of the pile in terms of the very best earners at Leeds if he returned to West Yorkshire at present based mostly on his earlier £100k wage, making him £30k-per-week higher off than Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford.

The Spanish striker incomes two occasions greater than James will sting for the previous Manchester United attacker, who has utterly rotated his Whites profession this season making the drop down a division.

The revitalised £50k-per-week winger has 13 objectives and 7 assists this marketing campaign within the Championship, discovering himself simply two objectives off Rodrigo’s finest season whole in the mean time while working down the channels.

Rodrigo is little question nonetheless incomes a hefty pay packet out within the Center East now, however in terms of who shall be remembered as a Whites icon worthy of a spot within the historical past books, James shall be showing over the previous £100k per week flop.

James will simply be preserving all the things crossed that he can deal with the step as much as the Premier League if his aspect get there on the finish of a gruelling second-tier marketing campaign, understanding that he as soon as was once a scapegoat when Leeds had been dire at that stage.

Rodrigo, however, will simply need to see out his profession now with Al-Rayyan and can view his time with Leeds as relatively anticlimactic after arriving into the constructing as a serious £27m coup – together with his whole price when including in his £15m wage standing at a hefty £42m wasted.