Ex-SPL talisman: Leeds tabled a £9m offer to sign me from Celtic after goal glut
By Aramide Oladipo
Jorge Cadete has revealed that Leeds United attempted to sign him in 1996 whilst he was plying his trade with Scottish giants Celtic.
The former Portugal international completed a permanent deal to Celtic Park from Sporting Lisbon and he became a firm favourite amongst the Hoops fans.
The striker finished his first and only season in Scotland as the league’s top goalscorer with 25 strikes to his name.
Cadete managed to score a total of 33 goals in 44 appearances for the Hoops and that statistic is even more impressive given the fact that none of these strikes were penalties.
Speaking in an interview with Portuguese outlet Atasca do Cherba, Cadete revealed that the Yorkshire club were very keen in securing his services due to his impressive displays in Scotland.
“In January, I scored 12 goals in four games,” he said.
“It was at a time when Leeds United came to see Pierre van Hooijdonk, but after seeing two games they wanted to negotiate my exit.
“They went so far as to offer Celtic nine million pounds in 1996, and they did not want to sell.”
At the time, Cadete would have been a fine addition to the Leeds first-team squad which possessed attacking talent such as Tony Yeboah, Brian Deane and Ian Rush.
The Whites endured a difficult campaign that season, finishing in a disappointing 11th place in the league table.
Although Cadete was the talisman for Celtic throughout that season, Old Firm rivals Rangers were the ones who went on to lift the league title during the 1996-97 campaign.
In other Leeds United news, Christiansen has revealed what he demands of his star players.
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