Reporter Pete O’Rourke has described a Leeds United update on former forward Jean-Kevin Augustin as a “blow” and “a real sore one” for the Whites to take.
What’s the latest news on Leeds and Augustin?
Augustin made the move to Elland Road back in 2020 from RB Leipzig on loan with a view to a permanent transfer if the Whites won promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds achieved just that under Marcelo Bielsa, with Augustin only playing 48 minutes of action. The club were then involved in a lengthy legal battle after neither club wanted to acknowledge the forward as their player.
Leedd eventually lost their Court of Arbitration case and were ordered to pay Leipzig £18m, with the two clubs eventually reaching a settlement over the fee.
It has now emerged this month that FIFA have ordered Leeds to pay Augustin £24.5m for a breach of contract, although those in Yorkshire have lodged another appeal.
O’Rourke was talking to GiveMeSport regarding the news on Leeds and Augustin. He said that it won’t impact head coach Javi Gracia, who is looking to keep the club in the top flight in the final eight games, but he did label it as a “blow to Leeds”.
“I don't think it'll really affect Javi Gracia, he will be focusing on the relegation dogfight and the players he's got available to him right now. But yeah, it's a blow to Leeds, having to pay the £24.5m to Augustin over that transfer, a real sore one for Leeds to take.
"I don't think they'll pay it all upfront and they have made an appeal to CAS to see if they can change the verdict."
What could happen now?
As mentioned, Leeds have appealed the decision, so it could prove to be another lengthy process, should both the club and Augustin refuse to back down.
However, reports have suggested since that Elland Road chiefs are confident that they will be able to negotiate a more favourable settlement, similar to what they did with Leipzig when it came to a transfer fee.
It looks as if Leeds will still need to write a fairly large cheque either way for a player that failed to make an impact in Yorkshire, so it’s safe to say that he will go down as one of the club’s worst-ever big-money signings and a gamble that didn’t pay off over three years ago now.