Former Leeds striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says the Premier League would benefit from the presence of his old side should they earn promotion this season.
Leeds havenât been in the top division since 2004, when they were relegated with huge debts following several years of off-field turmoil.
Prior to that, at the turn of the Millennium, the Whites had regularly competed at the top of the Premier League and even reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001.
However, the club had gambled on their continued presence in Europeâs elite competition and when they missed out on qualification in 2002, their finances couldnât cope with the drop in income.
A desperate fire sale of their key players followed, but that had an obvious effect on off-field performance, resulting in their relegation two years later.
The Yorkshire club even dropped down into League One in 2007, the first time they had been in Englandâs third tier in their 99-year history.
The outlook today looks much brighter; with the club having made an impressive start to the season under new head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Hasselbaink, who spent two seasons at Leeds between 1997 and 1999, believes his old club deserve to return to the top flight.
âLeeds fans are one of the best in the country,â said Hasselbaink, speaking exclusively to 888sport. âTheyâre a one-city club and theyâre a proud people.
âThey need and deserve to be in the Premier League even if itâs just because of the fans who always create such an atmosphere at Elland Road. Also the numbers they take to the away games â itâs always lively. There are only a few clubs in the Championship who would make the Premier League better and Leeds is one of them.
âItâs not only the exciting football that the Premier League will benefit from with Leeds but from having the whole club.
âThey would be a big addition to the league because they are a magnificent club.
âIâm extremely happy with how theyâre playing â itâs such good football and nice to the eye and Iâve been to see Bielsa at Leeds to find out what theyâre doing and how theyâre doing it. He is an exceptional coach.â
Leeds are currently third in the Championship table, just two points behind leaders Norwich, raising hopes among the supporters that the club will soon return to the top division