Leeds United have had plenty of memorable strikers over the years.
The likes of Chris Wood and Ross McCormack have both hit almost 30 goals as Championship forwards at Leeds, while going even further back, Luciano Becchio and Jermaine Beckford were on fire at League One level.
Back in the Premier League days, Leeds also had the likes of Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, Robbie Keane and more banging the goals in.
Over the last few years, Leeds have not necessarily had the same success in that position as previously. Aside from Patrick Bamford’s 17-goal return in the 2020/21 Premier League season, he and others who have played there have been far from prolific.
Having said that, it could’ve been so different. Leeds actually came close to signing Erling Haaland when he was a teenager at Molde. Victor Orta even showed him around Thorp Arch, as per the Daily Mirror.
Ultimately, a move was seen as too expensive and that is a decision that has proved costly, with boyhood Leeds fan Haaland now one of the deadliest strikers in the world.
Haaland struggles as City knocked out of Champions League
Despite all of Haaland’s success since joining Manchester City, his form has slightly tailed off in recent weeks, again failing to score in a big Champions League tie with Real Madrid.
City were knocked out on penalties with Madrid last night with the Spanish side again marking Haaland out of the game, aside from a couple of decent chances with his head.
Haaland had just 21 touches in the game and many of them were when the ball was played into his feet, before it then bounced off him.
Henry admits former Leeds striker Viduka was much more physical than Haaland
His hold-up play came under the spotlight by Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports after the game, as he asked another legendary attacker in Thierry Henry why he could not deal with the physicality from Madrid’s defenders.
Though Henry was very critical of his first touch, he believes Haaland is simply not the kind of striker who likes physical contact from defenders, suggesting former Leeds star Viduka is among those who was far better at it than him.
Carragher asked: “Why do you think Erling Haaland for the size of him doesn’t like physical contact with the defender?
Henry responded: “I didn’t like it. It’s the same. I’m not small. But it’s not my thing. I wasn’t a Drogba, I wasn’t a Viduka or a Shearer. I don’t think he’s that type of guy who will go and play like that but you need the bare minimum, being able to control that ball.”