Leeds United: Massimo Cellino recruit may have thrived in a different Elland Road era | OneFootball

Leeds United supporters may wonder how striker Mirco Antenucci would have performed in a more successful period at Elland Road.

It is fair to say that Leeds United have come a long way from Massimo Cellino's turbulent ownership reign.

Cellino's tenure was chaotic right from his arrival at Elland Road in early 2014, with the infamous Ross McCormack deadline day transfer saga and the sacking and subsequent reinstating of manager Brian McDermott setting the tone for the events that would unfold.

After three years of disastrous signings and managerial upheaval, Cellino departed in May 2017 when co-owner Andrea Radrizzani bought his 50% share in the club, and he would be the man to lead Leeds back to the Premier League in 2020 following the inspired appointment of Marcelo Bielsa.

Unfortunately for the Whites, their stay in the top flight would only last three years, and they suffered further heartbreak as they were beaten by Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley last season.

However, with a much more stable atmosphere at the club under the ownership of 49ers Enterprises, that defeat has not been too damaging for Leeds, and they are once again among the promotion contenders in the Championship this season.

With the hope of better times ahead, Whites supporters will be desperate to forget the dark days they experienced with Cellino at the helm, but not all of his signings were bad, and many may wonder how striker Mirco Antenucci would have performed in a better side.

Mirco Antenucci's time at Leeds United was a success

While much of the focus at Elland Road in the summer of 2014 was on Cellino's bizarre appointment of Dave Hockaday as Leeds manager, the club did also make 15 signings during a busy transfer window, of which Antenucci was one.

Antenucci's move from Ternana marked the first time that he had joined a club outside his native Italy, and he arrived in West Yorkshire with a decent goalscoring record, which offered hope that he would be able to adapt to the Championship.

Antenucci hit the ground running at his new club, scoring his first goal for the Whites on just his fourth appearance in a 3-1 win at Bournemouth, and he ended the 2014-15 season as their top scorer after netting 10 goals in 37 games, while he also provided two assists.

The striker's strong form continued into the following season, and while Chris Wood topped the Leeds goalscoring charts on this occasion, he still scored a respectable nine goals and registered six assists in 43 appearances, earning him a nomination for the club's Player of the Year award, which was eventually won by defender Charlie Taylor.

Antenucci's goalscoring exploits ultimately proved to be in vain as the Whites recorded underwhelming 15th and 13th-placed finishes respectively in his two years at the club, but that was little surprise given the backdrop of constant drama at Elland Road.

The Italian incredibly played under five different managers during his time at Leeds - Hockaday, Darko Milanic, Neil Redfearn, Uwe Rosler and Steve Evans - making it even more impressive that he recorded the numbers he did.

Despite expressing his desire to stay at the club, Antenucci departed at the end of his contract in the summer of 2016, and he sent an emotional goodbye message to Whites supporters on Instagram after his exit was confirmed.

Leeds United may have lingering Mirco Antenucci regret

In truth, Leeds supporters will have been glad to see the back of many of Cellino's signings, but Antenucci may have been a rare exception.

While Antenucci's goalscoring record does not look particularly impressive compared to some of the strikers that have graced the Championship over the years, when you take into account the context of his time at Elland Road, his numbers are commendable.

There is no doubt that Antenucci was a clinical goalscorer, and while he may have been too old to play a key role in Bielsa's team, you do wonder how the striker would have performed had he worked under the legendary Argentinian.

It could even be argued that Antenucci in his prime would have been a good addition to Daniel Farke's current side, and he would surely have thrived if provided with service from the likes of Wilfred Gnonto, Dan James and Largie Ramazani.

Antenucci does not earn the title of the best Cellino signing as that surely belongs to promotion-winning captain Liam Cooper, who joined the Whites in the same transfer window as the striker, but he will be remembered much more fondly than many of the club's other additions under the controversial Italian.