A report in the Yorkshire Evening Post has named Helder Costa as Leeds’ number one transfer target this summer.
The article also names Ryan Kent and Jack Harrison as players Marcelo Bielsa’s side are interested in, so that begs the question as to whether or not Costa should be the top priority.
Kent is coming off the back of an impressive season at Rangers where he was named Scotland Young Player of the Year, and although Harrison didn’t pull up any trees during his first spell at Elland Road as he scored just four times, he knows how to play in Marcelo Bielsa’s system.
The two young wingers may not have produced the same sort of goal contribution numbers as Costa in the Championship, notching up 15 goals and 14 assists in the two seasons prior to Wolves’ promotion, but there is a lot of potential there for both players.
It’s tough to say what Leeds should be prioritising this summer but Football FanCast’s writers have had their say on whether Costa should be at the top of the club’s wishlist…
Matt Dawson
“I’m not so sure if Leeds are right to solely focus on Costa and make him their prime target. He racked up double figures for goal contributions in the two seasons he played in the Championship previously so it certainly suggests he’d be a good signing. However, you also feel as though Kent could be equally as productive judging by his season at Rangers where he found the net six times in the SPFL. If Leeds can get both of them they’d stand a far better chance of achieving promotion. Harrison is the one they should be ignoring.”
Ben Goodwin
“For me, Costa is a far better signing than Kent or Harrison because of his experience. Harrison only has one season under his belt in England and the MLS is simply not up to standard, while Kent impressed last year for the first time in five loan spells, never cracking the first team at Liverpool. Costa meanwhile has over 70 Championship appearances and now a full top-flight season under his belt, and his pace would inject some life into Leeds’ attack.”
Harry Elnaugh
“If Leeds can get Costa on loan it’ll be one of the cheekiest signings of the window. The 25-year-old made his Portugal debut last term and was only kept out of the Wolves lineup by the form of Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez – who notched up an impressive 22 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League – as well as the narrower approach Nuno Santo adopted as the campaign went on, changing 3-4-3 to 3-5-2. His pace and trickery out wide would be a real threat and add a different dimension to the Whites’ attack. Bielsa should absolutely prioritise bringing him to Elland Road with Harrison having been very hot and cold last term and Kent having failed to impress in the EFL previously. Spells with Barnsley, Coventry and Bristol City didn’t give much to write home about, resulting in just four goals and six assists.”