According to Sky Sports Germany, Leeds United will be forced to pay RB Leipzig three instalments of £6.17million (€7.35million), totaling £18.51million, following the CAS review of the case involving Jean-Kevin Augustin.
According to a German radio, Leipzig can expect a “big pay-off” from Leeds in the “coming weeks” following the club’s failure to sign Augustin, 24, for the long term in 2020.
When Leeds recruited Augustin on loan from Leipzig in January 2020, they also committed to buy him permanently for £17.6 million if they earned promotion, according to reports.
The 2020/21 season’s COVID-enforced break meant that Augustin’s loan at Elland Road ended before the season wrapped, therefore Leeds declined to pay up for the now-Nantes striker.
A new report from Sky Sports Germany indicates that Leeds United may have to pay £5.8 million in three instalments, with an additional £317,000 in interest for each instalment.
If this is the true, Leeds United have made a grave error, as signing Augustin would have been a far better choice than going to such lengths.
Augustin’s loan-to-buy agreement at Elland Road is sure to be a topic of discussion for Leeds, but it is important to remember that the season finished with promotion to the Championship.
The obligation-to-buy clause was in place regardless of whether Augustin’s loan had ended or not, thus he should have been purchased.
Just because Sky Sports Germany says one thing doesn’t imply it’s a certainty that Leeds and Leipzig will win their appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 15 March.
But we’ve been concerned about this for some time, and in our judgment, Leeds’ defense doesn’t stack up.
