Phil Hay says it ‘doesn’t feel’ like £15m man will stay, expects agent will sort Leeds exit

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Phil Hay has told The Square Ball podcast that Leeds United outcast Helder Costa will not perform a surprise return to the fold under Daniel Farke – and the noises coming out of Leeds is that Jorge Mendes will secure another exit.

Costa, 29, has spent the last two seasons out on loan, away from Leeds. The Angola winger – after joining Leeds on loan in 2019 from Wolves and then signing permanently for £15m a year later – has been at Valencia and Al-Ittihad.

Struggling at Valencia in 2021-22, failing to score and laying on just two assists in 27 games, he joined Nuno Espirito Santo’s Al-Ittihad. A team that now boasts Karim Benzema and ex-Celtic man Jota. He helped them win the league.

He now returns to Elland Road where he has a year left on his contract, and there has been a suggestion that he could make a surprise return – with the club relegated. He has had a hand in 19 goals in his 71 games for the Whites.

Indeed, his Championship stats are sold – 39 goal involvements in 114 second-tier league outings. He travelled with the squad to Oslo for last Wednesday’s loss to Manchester United. But Hay said that the noises are, he will leave.

“It doesn’t feel like it, no,” Hay told The Square Ball podcast on Friday, when asked if Costa is going to stick around at Elland Road. “The guidance was at the start of the summer was that they would try and do another deal for him.

“Or, Mendes would try and do another deal for him. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, somewhere like that. When you’ve got Jorge Mendes in your corner, you’re probably going to be okay,” Hay continued, with Mendes still representing him.

Hay says Leeds outcast Costa will not perform surprise return to the fold

It would be a shock. Not least, because he last played for Leeds in the summer of 2021. But also, because Leeds have a number of options on the flanks. Dan James is back, Georginio Rutter is expected to be used as a winger.

Cree Summerville, Luis Sinisterra, Jack Harrison and Willy Gnonto remain. Ian Poveda played against Manchester United. You would expected two or three of those five options will leave Leeds. But Costa will not remain at Leeds.