Wolverhampton Wanderers chairman Jeff Shi insists Helder Costa won’t be sold this summer

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The former Benfica man had an excellent campaign with Wolves last season, and gained a host of admirers from higher leagues.

Wolverhampton Wanderers chairman Jeff Shi has put his foot down and claimed that star man Helder Costa won’t be leaving Molineux this summer, with the Chinese businessman implying that the winger is imperative to the club’s ambitions, as reported by BBC Sport.

The 23-year-old had a scintillating season for Wolves with 12 goals and eight assists coming in 40 games in all competitions, and in January, the club made Costa their record signing – completing a £13m move, also reported by BBC Sport.

Wolves’ Helder Costa celebrates scoring their second goal

Costa’s form hasn’t gone unnoticed with a host of clubs being linked with the 23-year-old, including the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Monaco, as reported by the Metro, and it seems certain that the winger’s future is at the very top of the footballing pyramid.

However, Wolves aren’t prepared to let him go there just yet, with Shi claiming that his importance to the squad is so vital that they simply cannot justify selling him, and while he conceded there is genuine interest in Costa’s services, Shi is determined to keep hold of his man.

“Helder’s my boy,” Shi said, as reported by BBC Sport. “I don’t want to let him go. Especially this season, he cannot go, as he is so important to the squad.

“There is strong interest from other clubs but my job is to keep him. It’s very important for him to go to the Premier League, but together with us.

“The first job was for him to come here. If I want to have a good career with Wolves, then that is bound up with Helder very tightly. Why should he go? I have to keep him.”

Wolves’ Helder Costa (C) celebrates after scoring their first goal with teammates

There will be a lot of neutral eyes monitoring the progress of Wolves this season, who – under the stewardship of former FC Porto and Valencia boss Nuno Espirito Santo – seem to be gearing themselves up for a promotion charge.

Wolves haven’t been in the Premier League since they were relegated in 2012 and for a while it seemed possible that the club could drop into League One last season, however they have sorted themselves out and eventually finished in 15th.