Leeds United’s current predicament has come as little surprise to the fanbase, who were forced to bear witness to the steady decline of their club under the clueless ownership of Andrea Radrizzani.
Clearly hitting the jackpot with the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa, it would unfortunately mark the end of their success at Elland Road, as the eventual dismissal of the Argentine set off a catastrophic chain of events that have them currently playing their football in the Championship.
The appointment of Jesse Marsch was ill-advised, as was the decision to leave him in charge for so long, and their desperation at the end of the last campaign was embarrassing, desperately scrambling to find a manager to save them from the mess they had created. Neither Javi Gracia nor Sam Allardyce could achieve such a goal, and they would sell up in the summer.
It is now the turn of the 49ers to hopefully lead the Whites into a brighter future, with their first window in charge marking a largely successful one given the pitfalls left by the old ownership.
The appointment of Daniel Farke marks an intelligent one, and his signings seem largely risk-free investments set to bolster the squad. That being said, they are still unfortunately holding onto some of the dead wood from the previous regime, outlining a slight failure on their part.
Who should Leeds United have sold over summer?
Despite last term’s squad being largely responsible for their relegation, no less than 15 senior players jumped ship at the first opportunity.
However, that was not a wholly catastrophic event, given their continued presence might have financially crippled the club had they not earned promotion at the first time of asking.
Not only that, but most had shown themselves to be far from the requisite level to perform for a football club as huge as this one, so their departure was welcomed. Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen will certainly not be missed, but the likes of Junior Firpo and Helder Costa somehow survived the culling.
Retaining the latter, in particular, marks a questionable decision, given how out of favour the Angolan winger has fallen at Elland Road.
Although the 29-year-old enjoyed an impressive initial loan spell and perhaps merited the permanent acquisition, it swiftly became clear that he lacked the consistency to perform within Bielsa’s demanding play style. His average rating would drop from 6.76 in the Championship to 6.46 in the Premier League the following year, with his form drawn into question by many, via Sofascore.
Pundit Keith Andrews would claim in 2020 (Sky Sports Main Event 8/2/20 7:55 PM): “You look at a player like Helder Costa, and he’s a shadow of what we saw from when he got promoted in a Wolverhampton Wanderers shirt, and I don’t know what’s gone on there.”
Then, a year later, former top-flight goalkeeper Paul Robinson would compile such misery by outlining one torrid display: “He lost his place in the Premier League side and this was his opportunity to prove to Bielsa that he deserves another chance. As an all-round team performance, I thought Leeds were terrible. Helder Costa was absolutely miles off it.”
Given he was, as journalist Phil Hay put it, “Leeds’ second most expensive signing” back in 2019, he certainly disappointed.
As such, he was expelled on loan, first to Valencia and later to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad Club, where he has failed to reignite a stuttering career. Despite all of this, somehow Costa remains, slowly draining funds from Elland Road despite offering nothing to the club anymore.
How much did Leeds United sign Helder Costa for?
Having helped Wolverhampton Wanderers to win promotion from the Championship, the former Benfica trickster was enlisted by Bielsa to help them repeat such a trick.
Whilst he would actually offer some value, with his ten goal contributions in the league an admirable and useful return as they won the title, this would be a short-lived success that quickly devolved into a highly lucrative flop.
After all, it had not quite commanded the eventual £16m fee they would pay, which marked a big risk at the time.
What is Helder Costa’s salary at Leeds United?
Having been at the club for four years now, although one of those was only on loan, and two more actually saw him sent out on loan, it is tough to pin down exactly how much Costa has taken from the Yorkshire outfit with regard to wages.
His base salary sits at £32.5k-per-week, but has only really spent two full years draining the club.
As such, such a figure has amassed a further £3.4m that Costa has cost Leeds, with Bielsa’s purchase marking quite an expensive failure given his longevity and seeming reluctance to depart. In total, the underwhelming dud has snagged £19.4m when combining the initial fee with the wages expended.
Does Helder Costa deserve to earn £32.5k-per-week?
The 5 foot 10 flop does not deserve to earn anything near what he currently does, with his salary made even more impactful following their relegation.
Finances are already tight around Elland Road, with most of those aforementioned summer exits likely enforced to comply with the strict regulations that the Championship imposes on its clubs.
Having since made 71 appearances for the Whites, scoring just eight and assisting a further 11, this paints an even more damning picture, of an attacker that costs £2.4m for every goal he scores.
When does Helder Costa’s contract expire?
Fortunately for Farke, the expiry of Costa’s deal comes soon, meaning they must wait for one final season to truly be rid of him in the summer of 2024.
When he eventually does leave for free, which all signs suggest he will, it seems like all the fiscal failings surrounding his move will be emphasised given they will recoup no fee for their tricky winger.
Helder Costa’s years at Leeds United | Market Value, via Transfermarkt | Percentage Change |
2023 | £2.7m | 37% decrease |
2022 | £4.3m | 49% decrease |
2021 | £8.5m | 17% decrease |
2020 | £10.3m | N/A |
Whilst this deal does not crack the club’s most expensive deals of all time, with regard to actual return on investment, it must go down as one of Leeds’ worst.
How much has Helder Costa earned in his career?
Although, it should hardly come as a surprise to see Costa struggle, with his career failing to pan out the way it was expected after a bright start back in Portugal.
The nine-cap international has only just managed to hit 52 goals across his entire career, with his quick feet and burst of speed often flattering to deceive.
Despite that, the ex-Wolves star cannot be faulted for the financial incentive his tenure in football has handed him, amassing a total career earning of £9.94m. A mouth-watering figure for a man Farke likely cannot wait to get off his books.
