Marcelo Bielsa opens up on JKA departure as Leeds prepare for Stoke

Marcelo Bielsa has suggested it was "more convenient" for Jean-Kevin Augustin to return to RB Leipzig rather than remain at Leeds United this season.

The Frenchman suffered his second injury at the club since joining in January, but the Whites recently confirmed that he would not be staying at the club until the end of the season.

Leeds are now left with Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts as their only striking options, with no strikers on the bench in recent fixtures.

Bielsa claimed that Leeds assessed the situation of Augustin and believed it would be better for him to leave Elland Road.

Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross shared the South American's answer to Augustin leaving the club on Tuesday afternoon.

"Bielsa said they weighed up the Augustin situation once his loan had ended and felt it was more convenient to send him back to Leipzig than keep him here," he wrote.

It seemed to be the obvious answer for Leeds to send Augustin back, with there being little chance of him making a big impact in the final month of the campaign.

The 23-year-old only completed 48 minutes in the Championship, failing to make any sort of impact against Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Bristol City.

Now comes the hard part. RB Leipzig still expect Leeds to permanently sign Augustin should they earn promotion to the Premier League.

There is an £18million obligation for Leeds to buy Augustin, with the German club ready to take legal action if the Whites don't go through with that [Kicker].

This isn't the last we have heard of Augustin, that's for sure. Although we'd bet that we don't see him in a Leeds shirt again.

In other Leeds United news, Lee Bowyer has made a Brentford comparison with Leeds as they make late charge for top-two