Leeds United completed the biggest-ever single-day spending spree in the club's 101-year history on Saturday, as they stepped up their preparations for their Premier League return.
The day began with the club shattering their 20-year-old transfer record by confirming the £27million transfer of Spain international Rodrigo from Valencia, a move which eclipsed the £18million spent on Rio Ferdinand way back in 2000.
Then, 11 hours later at 8pm, a £13million deal for Germany centre-back Robin Koch was completed and a pair of internationals from two European powerhouses were added to Marcelo Bielsa's squad.
The delayed start to the season following the ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that the two Leeds new boys will get a chance to meet before they report for duty at Thorp Arch, as Germany will host Spain in a Nations League clash on Thursday evening.
Both players have received call-ups and will be hoping to feature at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart before they get down to work with Bielsa the following week.
"Of course, it will be cool when we play against each other next week with the national team and then some days later we meet here in Leeds and play together," Koch said following the completion of his move to Elland Road.
"I think he's a top player. To player for the Spanish national team you have to be a top player. He played in La Liga and it will be cool if we play against each other next week with the national team."
For Koch, his move to Leeds came following a lengthy courtship with no shortage of hard yards put in by Leeds scouting team and director of football Victor Orta.
"I don't know exactly [when Leeds were first interested] but it was maybe half a year or even more" he said. "They got in contact from me and time after time it got more and more detailed, with presentations of games from Leeds, from my games, how to play as a central defender here in Leeds. After more and more interest from Leeds and a lot of talks with Victor Orta it got more and more intense."
Although there was no face-to-face contact with Bielsa during this process, the Whites head coach's fingerprints were all over the deal.
"We had a lot of contact, videos of Leeds games from last season and then my games in Freiburg. A lot of tactical things that we talked about. Most of it was from the presentation. I saw how Leeds are playing football and how good it fits my style of playing football."
Koch also did his own homework on the club, whether that was speaking to people who remember Leeds' last European adventures at the turn of the millennium, via last year's Take Us Home documentary on Amazon Prime or by power of Leeds fans' social media presence.
"Most of the time I heard from my dad and some of the older generation. Of course everyone knows that Leeds is a huge club.
"I also watched the Amazon series from Leeds and got a feeling of how big the club is with all the fans in the background. I got a feeling for this club.
"Even on social media, every days since one or two months ago, I get 20 messages each day from fans asking if I'm coming to Leeds. This was great for me and i get the feeling of how big this club is."
