‘Needs to step up’ – Whelan blasts Leeds player display v Hudds, worried he isn’t PL quality
Noel Whelan has blasted Leeds United winger Helder Costa after being left unimpressed by his performance in the 2-0 win over Huddersfield on Saturday.
Leeds won their fifth game with their fifth clean sheet in a row to move top of the Championship standings – but after the game, Whelan wasted no time in ripping into the 26-year-old.
Costa has not been the most prolific of wingers this season and has only been directly involved in six goals in the Championship.
He’s played in every league game for Leeds but there have been concerns raised about the £15million fee that will be paid to Wolves to acquire his services permanently in the summer.
Ex-Leeds striker Whelan is really worried that his former club are set to pay a big amount of money for someone who is not going to cut it in the Premier League.
“I thought he was very, very poor,” Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds after the match.
“For someone that we’re going to pay £15million for, against a Huddersfield side – and no disrespect to the left-back [Harry] Toffolo – you’re going to be coming up against international left-backs next year.
“He came from Lincoln and [Costa] couldn’t even get past him once.”
When asked if Costa’s issue is his decision making, Whelan added: “I think too many things go through his head about what he wants to do.
“He’s got loads of pace, he’s got a trick as well but he kind of confuses himself.
“I think he just needs to get back to basics and simplify his game a little bit more.
“He really needs to step up because I do worry we’re paying £15million for someone who’s going to sit on the bench next year and might not be good enough.
“That’s why Wolves let him go.”
It only took a matter of minutes into the post-match show on BBC Radio Leeds for Whelan to start taking shots at Costa.
It was as if he was waiting for a chance to discuss the negatives after a hugely positive day for Leeds United supporters.
Costa wasn’t that bad.
He had a couple of chances where he perhaps should have gone for goal himself but we know that he is a good player who is able to perform well in the Championship.
However Whelan’s concerns about him being ready for the step up to the Premier League are warranted based on Wolves’ decision to let him go last summer.
In other Leeds United news, fans blasted the club after a press conference by Bielsa.