Daniel Farke desperate to show Helder Costa Leeds United exit now as Phil Hay shares ‘no way’ back verdict
There is “simply no way” one Leeds United man can be re-integrated into the side, Daniel Farke is certainly desperate to show him the Elland Road exit door now.
The Athletic journalist Phil Hay shared on The Square Ball Podcast (25 September) that the Whites forward is training on his own and will “most likely” leave on a free transfer at the end of his contract, but there’s also the chance to terminate his contract given his current status in Farke’s plans.
The Angolan international, who spent last season on loan with Al-Ittihad informed Farke that he wanted to leave the club [LeedsLive, 7 September] with the Whites also long desiring the same outcome [Phil Hay, August 18].
The 29-year-old, contrary to expectations at Elland Road, somehow didn’t secure a return to Saudi Arabia this summer, so may now face a contract termination or a final six-month temporary move in January.
Hay said (31m): “The expectation was that he would go. Farke said himself Costa had said that he wanted to leave, hence why he wasn’t involved at all in the summer.
“There’s simply no way that he can be re-integrated now. He hasn’t trained through preseason, he isn’t familiar with what Farke’s doing, he’s been training on his own.
“There was obviously the Turkish window as well which would have been an option. We all expected that he probably would go back to Saudi but nothing has developed here.
“One of a handful of things is going to have to happen here. Either they terminate his contract, or when they get round to January they find him somewhere to go for six months so he can burn down what’s left of his deal and move on. Or he sits tight until the end of the season and moves on when his contract runs out.”
Costa joined the ranks at Elland Road in a £15m switch from Wolves in 2020 [Transfermarkt] having spent the season before on loan with Marcelo Bielsa’s side, but hasn’t settled permanently in Yorkshire spending time on loan with both Valencia and Al-Ittihad.
LeedsLive reported on 7 September that Farke doesn’t see the Angolan as part of his first-team plans at Elland Road this season and that has been abundantly clear for a long while now, with Costa failing to establish himself at the club ever since Bielsa’s tenure.
There wasn’t much interest in the Algolan, though, after he scored just three goals in 18 appearances while on loan in the Saudi Pro League last season which certainly led to him staying in West Yorkshire, but given his Persona non grata status at the club, it wouldn’t make sense for both parties to wait until January.
The club will certainly be guilty of throwing away millions in regards to his contract at the club which only means that the 49ers Enterprises and Farke will be desperate to get rid of him now.
The Whites are blessed with wide options this season, having kept the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Crycensio Summerville despite plenty of interest in the summer transfer window, and it would not even take a huge amount of injuries before Farke even considered possibly picking Costa this season.
It seems impossible so why wait any longer? Cut all ties now.
In other Leeds news, an ex-Whites star shows love to Leeds fans after what he did in a European league game.