Phil Hay: No one bothered about Helder Costa at Elland Road, Leeds United happy to sell
The Athletic‘s Phil Hay insists “nobody is bothered about Helder Costa” at Leeds United as both parties attempt to push through a transfer prior to the window closing.
Costa is one of three Leeds players, along with Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra, currently training away from the rest of the squad due to uncertainty over their respective futures at Elland Road.
But whereas Leeds are reluctant to sell Gnonto, who has been the subject of four bids from Everton [Sky Sports], and Sinisterra [Voetbal Nieuws], Costa’s case is different as there is a mutual agreement that it is best for the 29-year-old to leave.
Providing an update on the trio of players on The Square Ball podcast on Friday [August 18, 5m 30s], Leeds insider Hay said: “Sinisterra does have an issue with one of his knees, but I don’t think anyone’s pretending that there’s no transfer aspect to this.
“[Daniel] Farke said he’s not able to focus fully on his football, and therefore he’s training at different times to the squad. He and Gnonto are basically both ostracised at this stage.
“Helder Costa, too, except Helder Costa is totally different – he wants to leave and the club want him to leave. Nobody is bothered about Costa particularly, so he doesn’t come into this conversation.”
Sums things up
Whereas Gnonto and Sinisterra’s stock remains high after catching the eye in an otherwise poor campaign for Leeds last time out, Costa has been out of the picture at Elland Road for the past couple of seasons.
The Angola international spent the 2021-22 season on loan with Valencia and the 2022-23 campaign with Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad.
Costa, who has not played for Leeds since an EFL Cup win over Crewe Alexandra in August 2021, hardly lit up the Saudi Pro League as he scored three goals in 18 appearances.
Given he is now into the final year of his contract, Leeds are not expected to generate too much money for Costa in terms of a transfer fee.
The hope from Leeds’ perspective is that a club comes in for the Benfica youth product late in the window, potentially from the Middle East, or else the Whites will have a big decision to make.
It is far from an ideal situation for the club’s 49ers Enterprises backers, though it very much sums up the state of Leeds at this moment in time.
In other Leeds United news, a player linked with a move to the Whites will reportedly be left out of his club’s squad for their next match.