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2 things Leeds United need to weigh up as cashing in on multi-million-pound fee becomes unlikely

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Leeds United winger Helder Costa looks less likely to join Valencia on a permanent deal as the Whites demands have been revealed.

Helder Costa ended a tough 2021 at Elland Road with a loan move to Valencia on deadline day as the club welcomed Dan James to the club on the same day.

The Angola international has been looking to use this loan as a chance to restore some form to what looked like a very promising career.

After a slow start, he’s picked up form, but a report from Las Provincias claims that the winger is unlikely to make his stay at the Mestalla permanent due to Leeds’ £16.8million valuation.

As Costa’s future gets thrown into fresh doubt, we take a look at two things the club has to consider with this valuation

Is he worth that much?

The first thing about this that we need to call into question is the fact that we’re asking Valencia for more money than we paid Wolves to sign him.

We spent £16million to bring him in during the 2019/20 season and he hasn’t exactly justified that price tag as such, despite some showings of real quality.

His form has dipped more since then and while we’re hoping (for his sake) that he can get back to his best, it’s a steep demand for someone who is surplus to demands.

We’ll be halfway into that £16m four-year deal that he signed in 2020, so to still be asking for a profit when he’s not at that level is baffling.

Recouping some funds is justifiable, but not more.

Is it fair on Costa?

We’re all for the club trying to maximise profits, but we’ve got to take the player’s future into account here.

This could be Costa’s best chance to kickstart his career again and really impress as he heads towards his late 20s.

Asking for a huge fee might mean Valencia turn their noses up at a deal and we’re back to square one with a player who won’t want to be here, and we’ve made clear we don’t want.

It doesn’t seem like the wisest decision to stand firm on his price tag when we really ought to just be allowing him the chance to leave.

We can’t let him go for peanuts, but a fair fee means Costa can rid himself of what’s been a tough time since Raphinha’s stole his place.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.