Leeds United unveil record-breaking transfer and four-year deal for Valencia and Spain striker Rodrigo

The deal smashes the club's transfer record, which stood for 20 years after the £18m capture of Rio Ferdinand and add-ons worth around €10m could see the La Liga side benefit further in future.

Rodrigo has signed a four-year deal with the Whites to complete a return to the Premier League and give Leeds fans their first marquee signing of the summer.

He completed a medical in Spain in midweek after the two clubs reached an agreement in principle. Two days of back and forth between Leeds director of football Victor Orta and Valencia followed and the deal was confirmed this morning.

The attacker leaves Los Che having contributed to 100 goals in his six seasons with the club, 59 of which he scored himself and 41 he provided assists for, in 220 appearances.

A knee problem kept him out of the final stages of the 2019/20 La Liga season, a campaign in which he played 34 times and added eight goals and nine assists.

While his goal tally in the season just gone might not sparkle, Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds might have taken more encouragement from the chances he created for others.

Rodrigo created the fourth highest number of big chances in Spain's top division, his dozen only beaten by Karim Benzema [13], Gerard Moreno [14] and Lionel Messi [34].

His versatility too will be seen as a big plus by Bielsa, who insists on a small squad and is happy to play his best players in a number of positions to ensure continuity when it comes to his playing style.

Rodrigo, who featured chiefly as a centre forward for Valencia and will provide competition for Patrick Bamford, can play anywhere across the front and has the ability to get involved in the play out wide. And his high workrate, something he developed at Valencia, is another feature of his play that will help him to adapt to life under Bielsa at Thorp Arch.

The Elland Road new boy will link up with the Spain squad next week for a game against Germany and could come up against defender Robin Koch, who is also close to securing a move to Elland Road.

As a youth Rodrigo spent time at Celta Vigo and Real Madrid before a move to Benfica in Portugal.

Bolton Wanderers brought him to the English top flight for a 2010/11 loan spell that brought 17 appearances.

He scored 27 goals in 67 games to help Benfica to a Primeira Liga, Taça de Portugal and Taça da Liga treble. A pair of Europa League finals followed with the Eagles.

Valencia brought him in on loan for the 2014/15 season and then made him a permanent signing for €30m.

A winning goal in the 2018/19 Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona was one of the highlights of his time at Mestalla Stadium.

Last season in the Champions League he scored two goals, including the only goal of the game in a win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and produced two assists and nine chances in six games.

At international level he has won the Under 21s European Championship and earned 22 senior caps, scoring eight goals.