Editing Rio Ferdinand (section)

===Leeds United===
Ferdinand joined Premier League club [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] in November 2000 for £18&nbsp;million, then a British transfer record as well as becoming the world's most expensive defender.<ref name=GUIDE/> Despite an uncomfortable start to his career at [[Elland Road]], beginning with a 3–1 defeat at [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] on his debut,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leeds-united/2993828/Leeds-refuse-to-blame-it-on-Rio.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leeds-united/2993828/Leeds-refuse-to-blame-it-on-Rio.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Leeds refuse to blame it on Rio|last=Carroll|first=Jack|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=2 December 2000|access-date=26 July 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Ferdinand settled well and became an integral part of the Leeds team that reached the semi-final stage of the [[UEFA Champions League]], scoring with a header in the quarter-final against Spain's [[Deportivo de La Coruña|Deportivo La Coruña]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/champions_league/1257903.stm|title=Spaniards humbled by Leeds|publisher=BBC Sport|date=4 April 2001|access-date=4 November 2009}}</ref> Other highlights during his spell in Yorkshire included goals against Liverpool at [[Anfield]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/1273915.stm|title=Leeds shock Liverpool|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 April 2001|access-date=4 November 2009}}</ref> and a scoring return to Upton Park.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/1285934.stm|title=Leeds see off hapless Hammers|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 April 2001|access-date=4 November 2009}}</ref>

The following season, in August 2001, he became the club [[captain (association football)|captain]] after replacing [[Lucas Radebe]] and turned in an impressive second campaign, despite Leeds' failure to break into the top three and secure qualification for the competition they had figured in so prominently during the previous season. During the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], rumours began circulating that the club were in dire financial trouble and that new manager [[Terry Venables]] would be forced to part with his star defender for a substantial amount of cash. Later that summer after Ferdinand's impressive World Cup for England, Leeds accepted a bid of £29.3&nbsp;million with possible performance related add-ons up to £33.3&nbsp;million due to their perilous financial position.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/2143600.stm|title=Man Utd seal Rio deal|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 July 2002|access-date=14 August 2019}}</ref> Years later, Rio admitted he sat in the office of Leeds chairman [[Peter Ridsdale]] for almost six hours to force the transfer through.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/eNZVLwC0JDU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190909035641/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNZVLwC0JDU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNZVLwC0JDU |title="I would've gone public!" Rio and Cole on player power |publisher=YouTube / BT Sport |date=10 August 2019 |access-date=14 August 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>