Leeds United made significant moves in the recent summer transfer window to strengthen their squad under Daniel Farke. The club acquired Largie Ramazani, Manor Solomon, Isaac Schmidt, Joe Rothwell, Joe Rodon, Jayden Bogle, Alex Cairns, and Ao Tanaka.
This flurry of signings came after Leeds lost Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, Archie Gray, and Crysencio Summerville. The team aims to secure promotion this season, hoping these new additions will make a crucial impact. Leeds’ last promotion from the Championship came in the 2019/20 season, a campaign marked by one of Victor Orta’s signings, Jean-Kevin Augustin, turning out to be a notable flop.
**Jean-Kevin Augustin’s Leeds Tenure**
In January of the 2019/20 season, Leeds sought to boost their attack and signed Jean-Kevin Augustin on loan from RB Leipzig, with a clause to make the deal permanent for £18 million if promoted. The Championship-winning team also covered his wages during the loan, reportedly exceeding £75,000 per week.
Unfortunately, Augustin quickly fell out of favor under Marcelo Bielsa, making only three league appearances totaling 48 minutes. Despite Leeds winning promotion, they chose not to fulfill the £18 million obligation to sign him permanently.
FIFA, responding to Leipzig’s complaint, mandated that Leeds pay £24.5 million due to the original fee and his proposed five-year contract at £93,000 per week, making him the highest earner at Elland Road. Leeds initially attempted to appeal but later withdrew, leading them to pay £24.5 million for a player they did not keep.
**Where Jean-Kevin Augustin Is Now**
As of this summer, Augustin, now 27, is a free agent after being released by Swiss Super League club Basel at the end of last season. After his difficult spell in England, he played 11 times for Nantes before moving to Basel for the 2022/23 season. He scored eight goals in 51 appearances for Basel but struggled with injuries, missing 26 matches over two seasons.
Augustin, who had scored 20 goals in 67 games for Leipzig before his Leeds loan, remains a significant disappointment for Orta and Leeds. Not only did the club end up spending a substantial amount on a player they did not retain, but Augustin also failed to meet Bielsa’s needs. This costly mistake highlights a significant misjudgment by the Spanish sporting director in selecting a player who did not fit the team’s requirements.
