Leeds United have been active in the transfer window this summer, mainly with out-goings as the likes of Jack Clarke, Pontus Jansson and Kemar Roofe departed the club for a combined £20m price, along with many fringe players.
They did bring in players of their own, all on loan, with Illan Meslier, Eddie Nketiah, Jack Clarke, Jack Harrison and Ben White all joining the club for the entirety of the season.
However, Leeds’ marque signing was the acquisition of Helder Costa from Wolves, initially on loan that will turn permanent next summer for a fee of £15m.
Costa has been benched for Leeds opening two league games, with fitness being the reason, but Leeds’ Argentinian boss Marcelo Bielsa has high hopes for the Portuguese winger, with the influential manager elaborating following the teams win over Salford City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Speaking with The YEP, here is how Bielsa see’s Costa developing…
“Costa was comfortable in a not very comfortable game,” said Bielsa, assessing the former Benfica player’s performance at Salford.
“He was combating every time, knowing that he is a player who is more creative and of more quality than this.
“Then at the same time, I saw his values, his important attributes or skills.
He continued…
“He could show some of these skills in the moment to be be free in the first goal and in the cross that he did to score.
“So if the global performance was a medium level of performance, we cannot say that was high and we cannot say it was low.
“He played with experience and he created hope in us after this performance.
“At the same time when played against Nottingham Forest, he made an impact and made a difference when he came to the game.”
So once the player is at the required level of fitness, he could be huge in Leeds’ charge for promotion back to the Premier League… but if injuries play a part, he could get his opportunity sooner rather than later.
