Adam Pope posts update on FIFA investigation into Leeds and Augustin deal

Leeds United fans will have been hoping they had heard the last of Jean-Kevin Augustin but the striker could still end up costing the club a lot of money.

BBC journalist Adam Pope has claimed that the FIFA investigation is still active and that the organisation won't comment while the case is active.

RB Leipzig want Leeds to be held liable for the obligation to sign the striker that was made in January 2020.

The Athletic claimed that would amount to £18m.

Leeds didn't extend his loan and let him go in June, and are seemingly basing their defence on the fact that as they weren't promoted at that time, the obligation was no longer valid.

Augustin signed for Nantes in October but has struggled for game time and has now been diagnosed with long Covid and is out of first-team action for the rest of the season.

Tragic story

£18m is a huge amount of money for a player who was a total flop and has struggled with injuries and bad luck for over a year now.

It's tough to say that RB Leipzig should give up on their claim but the waters were muddied when they let him leave on a free transfer.

Leeds had seen enough and Augustin will go down as one of the biggest transfer failures of Marcelo Bielsa's tenure, but it's easy to have sympathy for the player.

Long Covid is obviously very unpleasant and we hope that he can put it behind him and get his career back on track.

He promised so much and it would be a huge shame if it all fizzled to nothing after he was so enthusiastic when he came to Leeds.

However, Leeds can't afford to drop £18m on nothing and we hope that FIFA eventually find there's no case to answer.

It's been going on a long time, though, and it suggests things aren't that clearcut.

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