‘My understanding is’ – Phil Hay details Leeds stance as lawyers called in over Koch transfer
Leeds United still owe money to three different clubs for the transfer of Robin Koch from Freiburg in the summer.
The news was delivered by German outlet Der Betze Brennt, who claimed that Kaiserslautern, Eintracht Trier and SV Dörbach are all owed solidarity payments from Leeds after contributing to Koch’s development.
Kaiserslautern are reportedly owed £115,000, while Eintracht Trier have contacted their lawyers over the non-payment.
However, according to Athletic journalist Phil Hay, this is nothing more than a “storm in a teacup” and that he expects Leeds to make the payments.
In a tweet he posted on Thursday, Hay said, “Yes they owe money but they’re not pretending otherwise.
“My understanding is that Leeds made contact with Eintracht Trier to tell them they were due a solidarity fee in the first place. Payment will be made.”
Nothing to see
There are no issues with Leeds and Koch – bar the fact that he’s injured at the moment and out until spring – so this sounds more like an admin issue.
What’s curious is that the German clubs felt the need to get lawyers involved.
That could be more a case of trying to nudge Leeds into paying straight away.
However, if it’s true that Leeds contacted Eintracht Trier in the first place, it seems a bit unnecessary.
Hay says that payment will be made, though, and that would seem to be the end of that one.
The other player that Leeds were threatened over recently is Jean-Kevin Augustin. Leeds had an obligation to buy him if promoted but didn’t renew his loan after the season was extended because of COVID-19.
That’s their defence for not sticking to their obligation and so far it seems to have worked, although there might still be more to come on this story.
He’s still struggling for fitness at new club Nantes and Leeds definitely made the right call not to spend close to £18m signing him on a permanent deal.
In other Leeds United news, MOT View: Bielsa set to give Leeds ace full debut v Brighton after Under-23s development