Little-known ex-Luton Town star Leeds United almost turned to before signing Eric Cantona
The Whites would eventually land on superstar Frenchman Eric Cantona and win the Division One title in 1992
Lars Elstrup (left) rejected a move to Leeds United in 1991, a year before they won the First Division title with Eric Cantona.
Former Luton Town striker Lars Elstrup has claimed he does not regret rejecting a move to Leeds United in 1991 which would’ve seen him be a part of the 1992 First Division title-winning side.
The Danish international, who also starred for Eredivisie side Feyenoord and Odense BK in his home country, scored 19 goals in his 60 games in his two years in England although he was almost there for a bit longer.
It was on the cards that I was to leave Luton after the second season,” Elstrup told Luton Today. “I went to Derby before the season ended and met with Howard Wilkinson, manager of Leeds and he was very interested in getting me to the club.That was just an introduction meeting and he said, any striker that he brought to his club, he never scored under 20 goals in the league
As it turned out, Elstrup would eventually decline the move proposed by then-manager Wilkinson, who instead turned to Nimes striker Eric Cantona and Australian Harry Kewell – two players that would play a big role in both the near and long-term future of the club.
I said I would think about it, I went back to Denmark and I turned him down,” Elstrup remembered. “I wanted to go back to Denmark and he ended up buying Eric Cantona and Harry Kewell and Leeds ended up being English champions.
“There’s no regrets, there’s just an extra on the story and Eric Cantona as you probably know went to Manchester and won six out of seven titles.”
