The transfer of Jean Kevin-Augustin to Leeds sparked a three-year controversy about his contract to relocate to England.
The Whites, who are now third in the table, are certain to be involved in the promotion race this season as they seek an immediate return to the Premier League.
But it was the Whites’ pursuit of promotion to the top division last season that sparked three years of wrangling over Jean Kevin-Augustin‘s transfer agreement.
Who exactly is Jean Kevin-Augustin?
The striker joined the Whites on loan until the end of the season, with the club having the option to purchase him permanently for £17.7 million.
Initially, it appeared that the Yorkshire club was looking to give Marcelo Bielsa more forward firepower in the form of a striker who had risen through France‘s age-group sides and scored goals for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
He made his Leeds debut on February 8, 2020, as a 71st-minute substitute for Patrick Bamford in a 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
Augustin left at the end of his loan agreement having only played 48 minutes of football, his stay in West Yorkshire marred by chronic fitness difficulties.
Leeds United’s transfer saga
But that wasn’t the end of it. According to reports, Leeds were obligated to execute a permanent transfer of Augustin due to a condition in the Whites‘ elevation to the Premier League.
The “extenuating circumstances” surrounding the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Leeds, “nullify the deal.”
Augustin’s parent club, RB Leipzig, threatened legal action if the trade was not completed.
The argument developed over the date provided in the contract for Leeds‘ promotion date.
If Leeds had been promoted on the specified day, June 30th, the clause would have been triggered.
Augustin’s loan period had finished by this date, with the Whites having six games remaining, and he was returned to his original club.
However, Leipzig contended that the transfer should have taken place in the “spirit of the rules,” because football contracts define 30 June as the “end of a season,” and so the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak should have been considered.
When it entered the courts, FIFA revealed Leipzig had taken action against Leeds and sided with the German side. Leeds did seek an appeal, but the Court of Arbitration dismissed it and ordered Leeds to pay. West Yorkshire said in a statement that they were considering “legal options with a view to an immediate appeal.”
Leeds made another statement in December affirming an amicable resolution of the case, but The Athletic claimed in April 2023 that Leeds had been ordered to pay Augustin £24.5m in compensation for a breach of contract.
Whites fans will be hoping that’s the end of the story. It was once a cause of great enthusiasm, but it has turned into nothing short of a disaster, costing them £40 million in all.
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