Helder Costa is unlikely to remain at Valencia next season unless Leeds dramatically reduce their asking price for him.
That’s according to Las Provincias, citing Tribuna Deportiva (a radio show), who cover how much the forward would cost the Spanish side and why it is ‘unfeasible’.
Costa is currently on loan with Valencia after joining in the summer when Leeds elected to let him go following the arrival of Dan James from Manchester United.
After a rocky start, he’s established himself as a key player under Jose Bordalas, and that’s led to the suggestion they would probably want to keep him at the end of his loan spell.
They have an option to make the loan deal a permanent one for €20m but given the current financial situation at the club, which is extremely bleak, they don’t have the ability to pay such a figure.
The Spanish club are operating with losses of €36.59m for this year and that makes signing Costa ‘practically impossible’.
The €20m figure they would need to sign him from Leeds is something they would have to reduce ‘considerably’ via negotiations, while they would also need to convince the player to reduce his fee, which is €3m a year and jointly paid by Leeds.
They may be able to do that given how happy Costa is in Spain, something he’s been at pains to point out publicly over the last few weeks, but trying to work out a ‘formula’ with Leeds would be far more tricky.
That is why it is ‘unlikely’ he will be staying beyond the end of the season, regardless of whether he continues to shine.
