Two big factors help clear path for Leeds to sign Jean-Kevin Augustin

Leeds United are hoping to confirm the signing of striker Jean-Kevin Augustin from Red Bull Leipzig on Monday after more details emerged over the proposed transfer.

Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion hopefuls have been in the market for another striker after Arsenal chose to recall Eddie Nketiah from his loan spell at Elland Road early.

That has left Leeds with Patrick Bamford as their only out-and-out centre-forward, and some costly misses have seen the likes of Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Brentford all close the gap on Leeds and West Borm at the top of the table.

And having failed to convince Southampton into a deal for striker Che Adams, United have turned to the French forward with reports on Sunday claiming a deal to take him to Elland Road had been “agreed”. 

And those hopes of Leeds unveiling Augustin were given a further lift on Monday when a report on Football Insider, quoting an agent working on the transfer to take him to West Yorkshire, claimed the “done”.

In addition, The Athletic journalist Phil Hay says Augustin and his agent arrived in Leeds on Sunday evening with a medical planned for Monday.

Prospects of securing the transfer had initially looked complicated for Leeds with the player on a season-long loan at Monaco, but that major stumbling block was removed over the weekend when his parent club RB Leipzig and the Ligue 1 side agreed to terminate the arrangement at the midway point.

Furthermore, reports have suggested two significant factors helped steer Augustin, a France U21 international, towards a move to Leeds – with the main reason cited as the pulling power of Leeds boss Bielsa.

According to reports, Bielsa made a personal phone call to Augustin to convince him to move to Leeds and about the role he would play in his United side as they look to secure promotion back to the Premier League. That was backed up by claims over the weekend that suggested the striker had instructed his agent to secure him the transfer.

 

Furthermore, while it remains to be seen whether Leeds will sign the striker on loan or with an obligation to buy, reports in Germany have stated that Leipzig are open to the idea of letting Augustin depart permanently.

That is, in the main due to their signing over the weekend of Spain winger Dani Olmo, who has moved to the Bundesliga title hopefuls in a high-profile €35million deal.

With Olmo joining Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb, reports in Croatia paper Sportske Novosti claim the Spain star rejected a late approach from Bayern Munich, as well as a more lucrative offer from AC Milan, to secure the transfer.

And that has appeared to play into Leeds’ hands over Augustin, with Leipzig more than willing to let the forward leave, despite him once considered first choice in their side.

The Frenchman had scored 18 goals in 62 appearances for Leipzig since arriving from PSG in 2017 but it seems his next port of call will be Leeds United.

 

Leeds Jean-Kevin Augustin

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