Helder Costa departs Leeds United as Whites issue message to winger upon transfer reunion

Costa, who joined Leeds for £16m from Wolves, has signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad on a season-long loan but the YEP understands that the deal will be made permanent at the end of the loan.

The Saudi Pro League side outfit are managed by former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves boss Santo who was in charge of the Molineux outfit when they spent £13m to recruit Costa from Monaco back in January 2017.

Capped once for the Portugal national side, Costa initially joined Leeds on a loan-to-buy deal from Wolves in the summer of 2019.

The winger then weighed in with four goals and six assists as part of 43 Championship outings in his first season at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion-winning side.

Costa’s move to Elland Road was made permanent the following summer on a four-year deal but the attacker made just 13 appearances in the club’s first season back in the Premier League after the arrival of Raphinha.

The £16m recruit – who has now become an Angolan international – was loaned out to Valencia last season but the 28-year-old only made 13 starts in La Liga.

Costa returned to Leeds this summer and was an unused substitute in last Sunday’s final pre-season friendly at home to Cagliari.

His Leeds contract runs until the summer of 2024.

A statement from Leeds which announced Costa’s departure read: “We would like to thank Helder for his attitude and professionalism over recent weeks and wish him luck during his time at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium.”