Jean-Kevin Augustin joined Leeds United for the 2019-20 season and this now stands as one of their biggest flops in terms of a transfer.
The French striker joined on loan from RB Leipzig, with an obligation to buy a fee of £18m dependent upon promotion to the Premier League.
Yet Augustin was cast aside, playing just 48 minutes across three matches under Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds chose not to bring him in on a long-term deal, but due to FIFA regulations they had been funding Augustin £24.5m cost, including his wages, even though Augustin barely contributed to the campaign.
He fell out of form and battled injury, before Basel released the player in 2023.
Orta’s Costly Error
A more interesting angle of the story is that former Sporting Director Victor Orta had done really well in terms of signings for Leeds.
But the Augustin business backfired massively.
Leeds lost millions to get a player who was completely unsuitable for their grueling, high-pressing style of play and who contributed very little.
Augustin never really settled and after another year abroad in Switzerland found himself without a club again.
It is a warning to any club pushing through high-stakes deals. This mistake is still coming back to haunt Leeds now.
The screams of this Augustin saga should teach clubs to cross check and double check before making big money moves for a player, as one wrong move can come back to haunt the club for years down the line.
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