Done deal: Helder Costa leaves Leeds United for Valencia
Leeds United have confirmed that Helder Costa has joined Valencia on loan with an option for the deal to be made permanent next year.
Costa, 27, saw his move away from Elland Road go right down to the wire with Leeds announcing the loan-to-buy deal over an hour after the 11pm transfer deadline passes on Tuesday night.
The Portuguese winger had dropped down Marcelo Bielsa’s pecking order with the arrival of Daniel James and it looks as though he could be leaving Yorkshire for good next year if Valencia trigger their option to sign him permanently [official Leeds website].
Down to the wire
According to an update by The Athletic journalist Phil Hay on Tuesday night, the Spanish FA were still waiting to approve Costa’s move to Valencia at 11:27pm last night.
This one was a really close call and we can imagine that the paperwork was submitted at the very last second.
It must have been tense for Costa, Valencia and Victor Orta, who would have all wanted the deal to go through.
Thankfully it did and that means we may never see Costa in a Leeds shirt ever again after the one-time Portugal international agreed a loan-to-buy move to the Mestalla.
It’s a real shame it hasn’t worked out as well as we would have hoped for Costa.
When he initially joined on loan from Wolves, we saw some decent performances from the winger in the Championship to help us win promotion.
However, after going up to the Premier League, it would be fair to say that the £16million signing struggled and didn’t represent value for money at all.
We’re going to wish Helder all the best though.
He’s a talented winger with a great attitude and Valencia could be a really good place for him to get back on track at the peak of his career.
In other Leeds United news, a last-ditch central midfielder arrival was mooted on deadline day.