Bundesliga expert hints at Leeds get-out over Augustin but warns lawyers likely to be involved
Manuel Veth has said his “understanding” is that Leeds United have an obligation to buy striker Jean-Kevin Augustin from RB Leipzig if they get promoted.
However, Veth, who writes for Forbes about the Bundesliga and for Transfermarkt, also made an interesting claim about the obligation possibly being voided because of the season being extended beyond June 30.
He asked whether the promotion clause would still apply in this instance and suggested that the answer to that question will probably lie with the lawyers.
He said that “this is why Germany were trying to hard to get the season wrapped up before June 30.”
Augustin – what’s going on?
Things have gone very quiet around Leeds. Marcelo Bielsa was non-committal in his post-match press conference, as quoted in the Yorkshire Evening Post.
He just said that Leeds would communicate about the player when they were ready to.
Meanwhile, the original loan contract has expired but there’s been no word whether he’s been sent back to Germany yet or not.
The point Veth has made about the season being extended past this loan date of June 30 is a very interesting one.
Does that void the obligation that would have kicked in before the loan had expired if the season hadn’t been extended?
The deal with RB Leipzig has expired and Leeds aren’t promoted yet – that’s an undeniable fact.
That’s obviously an argument for the lawyers but it could give Leeds an out – if they want one – and enable them to wriggle out of a very costly deal.
We think that’s the best course for Leeds. Who knows if Augustin will go on to fulfil his talent? That’s certainly not been proved to Leeds and they can’t afford to spend £18-£19m on a gamble that, so far, really hasn’t paid off at all.
RB Leipzig and Augustin could end up being the big losers here on a technicality.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay claims Leeds player who hasn’t started since Feb is ‘shoe-in’ for XI v Blackburn