Bundesliga journalist details Augustin off-the-pitch issues that killed career at RB Leipzig
Bundesliga journalist James Thorogood has shared details of the off-the-pitch issues that scuppered Jean-Kevin Augustin’s career at RB Leipzig ahead of his move to Leeds United.
After moving to Leipzig from PSG, Augustin was shipped out on loan to Monaco, where he flopped before moving to Leeds in the January window.
Augustin is eligible to play in the Championship game against Wigan on Saturday and is likely to make the bench.
Bundesliga expert Thorogood was talking on the latest episode of the Phil Hay Show and he said that things went sour for Augustin at Leipzig after a decent first season.
“He came to Leipzig a bit of a precocious talent and he turned out to be more problematic than the club had hoped,” Thorogood said.
“He was brought in on a really big deal at the time from PSG and he came in with a bit of an ‘I’m too big for my boots’ feel about him.
“Leipzig tried to give him a chance and to ground him and, let’s be honest when he was out on the pitch he looked like an out-and-out goalscorer, but off the pitch there was what the club referred to as discplinary issues – he was late for training, things like that.
“Leipzig are quite a strict club and Augstin never really got on board with how they were.
“I think if he gets the full backing of club and fans, I think that’s what Jean-Kevin Augustin needs to get the most out of him.
“It’s good business for Leipzig but if he lives up to his potential, he’s a player who could be worth a lot more than €21m.”
No one likes a player with a bad attitude but there’s nothing here that bothers us.
It sounds like Augustin and Leipzig were just incompatible and there’s a couple of things that Thorogood has said that makes us think the move to Leeds could be perfect for him.
He’ll know he needs to prove himself in the second tier in England and he’s already got the backing of the club (who signed him) and the fans.
The Leeds fans are among the most passionate in the world and they’ve already fallen in love with Augustin.
He turned down a move to Man United, liked a load of tweets from Leeds fans before he signed and has come out and said of the support and the game at Millwall, “It really does make you want to die for the club”.
That’s the sort of statement that will get the Leeds fans roaring at Elland Road tomorrow.
Thorogood has said that Augustin could be worth a lot more than Leeds are set to pay for him, and he’s a signing that\s got us very excited.
We like attitude at Leeds – as long as it’s directed the right way. So far, everything Augustin has said and done has been spot on.
In other Leeds United news, Harry Redknapp claims Leeds the best side he’s ever come up against