Leeds United winger Helder Costa is bound to be leaving the club this summer after a loan at Al-Ittihad comes to an end.
Leeds shipped out a number of fringe players in the 2022/23 season, knowing that a lot of players would not be getting minutes at Elland Road this term.
Most of them remained on these shores, while Helder Costa was cast out to the Middle East where he reunited with Nuno Espirito Santo at Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad.
How did Costa do?
Costa’s loan is not expected to yield a permanent deal, meaning he will be coming back to Leeds with the Saudi Pro League winners medal around his neck, as his side pipped Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr to the title.
However, it wasn’t as though Costa himself dragged his club to the league title, with 17 appearances bringing a meagre two goals and one assist.
Will Costa leave Leeds?
Having joined permanently from Wolves in 2020 for £16million, the winger has just one year left on his deal, meaning he’s not totally out of the doors yet.
However, the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth has shared that it’s a foregone conclusion that Costa will be parting ways with the club, given his connections with “superagent” Jorge Mendes:
“Two consecutive seasons out on loan yet, quite incredibly, still a Leeds player for another year. Has two Championship promotions already but how much desire there will be from either party to rekindle the relationship is questionable. His ‘superagent’ representative will ensure he gets a move if he wants one.”
Will Leeds get promoted in 2023/24?
Yes
No
Cashing in on Costa is going to be a good boost to our income this summer, and it needs to happen because he won’t be staying here.
As much as he was always a good professional for the club, he never really set Elland Road alight with the quality we knew he was coming to the club with.
A move away is the best thing for all parties, hopefully to see him recapture the form that made us pay that much money for him in the first place.