“Gamble paid off” Leeds United risk to SIGN Spanish Striker paid of with MASSIVE 87 Goals…. Best deal ever stroke by the whites in my opinion.
In the summer of 2008, Leeds United took a chance on an unknown Argentine striker, Luciano Becchio, after he had left the Spanish club Merida a couple of months earlier. This gamble on Becchio proved to be a masterstroke as he went on to become a hero at Leeds over the next four-and-a-half years.
At the time, Leeds were in a difficult position, having failed to secure promotion from League One and facing financial troubles. However, the signing of Becchio helped transform the club’s fortunes, and he is widely regarded as a modern-day legend at Elland Road due to his exploits.
Becchio impressed during a trial with Leeds in the summer of 2008, playing in friendlies against Shelbourne and Barnet. As a result, he signed a three-year deal with the club in July 2008, marking the start of a successful stint.
In his first season (2008/09), Becchio was a regular starter, scoring 19 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions, although Leeds narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship. The following season (2009/10), his 17 goals helped the club secure the long-awaited return to the Championship.
Becchio quickly adapted to the higher division, scoring 19 league goals in the 2010/11 season and winning the Championship PFA Player of the Month award in December 2010. His impressive form continued in 2011/12, with 11 league goals despite often being used as a substitute.
In the 2012/13 season, Becchio’s 16 league goals caught the attention of Premier League side Norwich City, who signed him in January 2013, ending his successful four-and-a-half-year spell at Elland Road. His journey from a League One trialist to a Premier League player in just a few seasons was remarkable.
Overall, Becchio scored 87 goals in 221 games for Leeds United, establishing himself as a standout player during a challenging period for the club.
Unfortunately, Becchio’s time in English football after leaving Leeds was not as successful. He struggled at Norwich, failing to score in 16 appearances, and had brief loan spells at Rotherham United, where he managed only two goals in seven appearances. After leaving Leeds in early 2013, he made just 23 further appearances in English football, scoring twice.
Despite his struggles elsewhere, Luciano Becchio is remembered as a modern-day legend at Leeds United and in the English Football League (EFL), with the Elland Road faithful grateful for the gamble the club took on him in the summer of 2008.