In our Loan Watch feature, The Transfer Tavern takes a look at how Leeds United winger Helder Costa has fared during a season-long spell at Valencia.

The Lowdown: Option to buy

The Whites made Costa’s loan move permanent following promotion to the Premier League in 2019/20, penning a four-year deal at Elland Road.

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Costa went on to make 22 Premier League appearances under Marcelo Bielsa, scoring three times and registering three assists.

However, he was sent out on loan to Valencia last summer, which included an option to make a deal permanent at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: Costa in 2021/22

Costa hasn’t fared well over in La Liga, as per SofaScore. The 28-year-old has started just 13 league games, averaging just 52 minutes per game, often hauled off as he consistently fails to leave his mark on proceedings.

He has failed to score a goal, provided just one assist, lost 63% of his duels and has lost possession 9.3 times per game.

His latest display against Villarreal resulted in a 3/10 match rating from one Spanish outlet, and it looks increasingly unlikely that Valencia will exercise their option to buy over the coming months.

The Verdict: Headache for Radrizzani and Orta

Costa returning to Yorkshire over the summer could provide Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta with a fresh transfer headache.

They managed to negotiate a £16.7m option to buy fee, which would have seen the Whites actually make a small profit.

His Transfermarkt valuation has now dropped to £7.2m though, the joint-lowest it has been since 2016, so Leeds may find it hard to bring in a respectable fee for his services. If Leeds can't strike terms elsewhere, Jesse Marsch may well have to keep the underperforming winger ahead of his first full season in charge.

In other news: Sky Sports now share big news on Leeds star's Elland Road future; 'dealing' already happening.