Daniel Farke reveals Helder Costa Leeds United future update ahead of trip to Southampton

Daniel Farke has confirmed that Helder Costa will not be involved for Leeds United any further but has stressed the situation has remained entirely “professional” for all parties.

The Whites boss shared in his pre-match press conference on Thursday (28 September) ahead of the trip to Southampton on Saturday that the club is “working behind the scenes” on a “good solution” for the 29-year-old.

Farke confirmed that the Angola international made clear he wanted a move earlier this summer and that everything has been conducted in a “professional and honest way” but the German only wants a squad of players who are “fully focused”.

Costa was supposed to leave during the summer, but no move occurred, and his contract was set to expire.

Although it has not yet occurred, the attacker has been training away from the first team since he is not in line for future involvement.

The ship set sail.

If Costa sees himself elsewhere and Farke sees no need for him, it appears that a solution may be made because everything is being done without any ill will.

Fortunately for the Elland Road manager, he has come out of the summer window with a plethora of good attacking alternatives, so there is no temptation to turn to the man who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Valencia and Al-Ittihad.

A move somewhere before the various transfer windows closed this summer would have been preferred all around, but since that hasn’t been accomplished, an alternative must be sought.

Unless a loan covering his pay is available in January, it appears that he will have to negotiate an early termination of his contract.

If both parties agree, a settlement that keeps Leeds United from having to pay the full amount may be achievable.

Costa’s relevance to the Elland Road first team ended some time ago, but his record of eight goals and 11 assists in 78 games for the club shows that he was quite vital at one point under Marcelo Bielsa, but that moment is now long gone, and his exit appears likely.