Augustin ready to die for Leeds as striker explains Man Utd snub

Nestor Watach

Leeds United‘s new signing Jean-Kevin Augustin says he is ready to “die for the club”.

Augustin joined Leeds on loan this week from RB Leipzig until the end of the season with a view to a permanent deal.

The 22-year-old striker was in the Elland Road stands for Tuesday night’s comeback win against Millwall and said the raucous atmosphere had inspired him.

“It was amazing, extraordinary,” he said. “Just to be in the stands to experience that, I don’t know what it will be like actually down there on the field.

“I’m looking forward to it. It was amazing how, from the first minute right through to 90 minutes-plus, how they drove the team forward.

“They had the setback of conceding twice early on, but with the help of the fans they fought back to win 3-2.

“It was an amazing feeling from the stands and it really does make you want to die for the club down there, die for the team. I can’t wait to get out there and play in front of them.”

Augustin, who progressed through Paris St Germain’s youth system before joining Leipzig for a reported £11million in 2017, confirmed Manchester United were one of several rival clubs who had been interested in signing him.

“I had one or two clubs who were interested in me, but when I was making my decision I didn’t want to go to a club just for the sake of it,” said Augustin, who spent the first half of this season on loan at Monaco.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to play, get minutes and have clear aims and objectives until the end of the season.

“It wasn’t a case of turning down other clubs – you mentioned Manchester United, it wasn’t a case of turning them down, it was just the fact I had already made my decision.

“I decided for me, as a player and a person, the best project, the best plan, was provided by Leeds United. That’s what I wanted to do, I had decided already.”

The France Under-21 international said he was “100 per cent fit”, but would need to adjust to the intensity of the Sky Bet Championship and may have to start on the bench.

He has already been nicknamed ‘Big Kev’ by his new Leeds team-mates and added: “That’s fine for me. Big Kev is fine.”

READ MORE: Eye-catching details emerge about how Leeds beat Man Utd to Augustin