Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Leeds United could be involved in a transfer embargo if things don’t go their way in court over Jean-Kevin Augustin.
Leeds United signed Jean-Kevin Augustin on-loan in January 2020, with a clause in his contract that stated if the Whites gained promotion to the Premier League then they would be obliged to sign the Frenchman on a permanent deal for £18 million.
The season then got paused due to the pandemic and Augustin’s loan expired so he went back to Leipzig, but Leeds did eventually go on to gain promotion to the top flight once things resumed. Leeds refused to pay the £18 million due to the attacker playing just 48 minutes of football, which has led to the German club taking them to court.
Indeed, the Whites will now anxiously await the results of their appeal.
There could be several consequences if things don’t go Leeds’ way, which Pete O’Rourke highlighted when he spoke to GIVEMESPORT.
“If things don’t go right for them at this Court of Arbitration hearing over the Augustin thing, it could really bite into their transfer budget for next season or there could even be a transfer embargo, which would be a disaster for Leeds United,” O’Rourke said.
TIF Thoughts on Leeds…
Leeds United have had a lot of issues on the field as well as off it this season. They currently sit two places above the bottom three, but now have a nice buffer of seven points after last night’s win.
The last thing Jesse Marsch will wants is to be hampered in the summer transfer window at a time when he should be adding his own touches to the Leeds squad.
And, to think that at worst case there could be a transfer embargo is rather scary as the Whites evidently could do with some reinforcements, with just Patrick Bamford as the only real out-and-out striker as an example. Indeed, with the depleted squad that Marsch has available due to injuries, the American coach will be keen to get new faces in the door this summer, but due to legal issues surrounding the Augustin saga, this may not be available.