The year is 2019, and Victor Orta is scouring the market to bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United squad after suffering defeat to Derby County in the Championship play-offs.
The likes of Ben White, Illan Meslier, Eddie Nketiah, and Ian Poveda are signed, with Leeds not actually spending any cash that summer. Instead, a series of loans and Poveda on a fee amounted to Leeds’ buys.
Another recruited by Orta is Helder Costa. A one-time Portugal international at the time, Costa had won promotion with Wolves to the Premier League and was seen as a bit of a coup by those at Elland Road.
Costa joined Leeds on loan, with the Whites including a £16m obligation if the club were promoted to the Premier League. That season, Leeds won the Championship trophy and Costa signed a four-year deal.
Marcelo Bielsa during his stint as Leeds United manager.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
What’s happened to Helder Costa in the last five seasons?
A brace in Leeds’ second Premier League game, a 4-3 win over Fulham, showed signs that Costa would be a solid addition in the top tier for Leeds. But Costa managed just 22 Premier League outings that season.
It was the start of a downfall of a career that had seen him play for Monaco, and have a hand in 38 goals in 109 Wolves games. Costa went on loan to Valencia and then to Al Ittihad, where he won the league.
Costa’s contract was cancelled by Leeds a year before it was ending, in 2023. While now turning out for Angola – his one Portugal cap was non-competitive – he had to wait for a year before joining a new club.
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The summer of 2024 saw Costa and Joel Robles both sign for Portuguese side Estoril. The hope was that a return to Portugal would help Costa rediscover his best form, but he scored just one goal in 13 outings.
He made the surprise switch to Chinese Super League side Yunnan Yakan. The CSL has become a landing spot for South American players hoping to make it to Europe, and players ousted by European clubs.
Helder Costa in action for Leeds.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Joining in January, Costa was not registered to play and six months later, at the start of July, Costa was released without playing a single game. Still only 31, Costa now finds himself without a club, once again.
In the space of five years, the 11-time Angola star has gone from joining Leeds for £16m and scoring a brace in Bielsa’s second league game, to failing to be registered in the Chinese Super League. Shame.