Phil Hay of The Athletic has revealed the structure of Leeds United’s deal for Helder Costa, which will see them pay Wolves a reported £16 million by the end of 2024. 

Costa has been a regular fixture for the Whites this season, making 31 appearances and providing four goals and four assists.

The 25-year-old joined the club in July 2019 after weeks of speculation, signing on a season-long loan that will turn into a permanent deal in the summer.

Costa will sign a four-year contract at the club when he becomes a permanent member of the Leeds squad and Hay has revealed that Leeds will have to pay the Premier League club £4 million per year in that period.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Podcast (17/01:), he broke down the details of the deal: “With Costa, they will pay £4 million a year for him over the duration of his contract.

“So that makes a £15 or 16 million signing affordable, regardless of the division that they're in. They can still manage that one in the Championship."

Costa has been impressive at times but has perhaps not quite reached the level that Leeds would've hoped he might and the levels that he has shown in the past.

The winger scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists during his first season in the Championship with Wolves but has not quite hit that height for the Whites in the 2019/20 campaign.

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The Verdict

It's interesting to find out the structure of the Costa deal, which was Leeds' blockbuster move this summer.

You feel that at this point, he hasn't lived up to that fee but with a long way still to go, he has time to prove his worth this season and, of course, further in the future.

This seems like the sort of structure that a deal for a player like Che Adams or Jarrod Bowen, both of whom have been linked to the club, would have to take.