Became a regular at both club and international level during the 1999/2000 season, belying his status as one for the future, and became a key midfielder in the Leeds United's very successful season.
An elegant midfielder with an eye for goal, he picked up the club's Young Player of the Year award for the season. Made his debut for the club in a 3-0 victory at Southampton at the beginning of the season.
Bakke's father is a football administrator, one of the men behind the notorious Norwegian revolution at Wimbledon FC.
Bakke junior, a former skipper of Norway's Under-21 side, was a member of his country's squad at Euro 2000.
Bakke's 2000/01 campaign was dogged by injuries and although he returned to form at the end of that season, he has never really recaptured the form of his first term at Elland Road.
Signed a new five year contract in the summer of 2002, by which time he had played 123 games for the club, scoring 15 goals.
- WHO'S WHO