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Prutton baffled by 'strange' Augustin signing, asks why Leeds couldn't have bought £5m man
The Leeds United signing of striker Jean-Kevin Augustin from RB Leipzig was an interesting one, and we’ll have to see how Marcelo Bielsa utilises him.
The manager has been slow in bedding the Frenchman in, and he’s yet to actually make an appearance in the match day squad for the promotion-chasers.
But he’s a talented guy who has played for some big clubs, and so you’d be surprised if he turns out to be a complete dud.
Yet he has no experience of English football, and there’s no arguing with the fact that he flamed out at Monaco over the first half of the season.
Former Leeds United man David Prutton is one of those who still needs convincing that Augustin was the right recruit for his old team.
“If you are a fan and waiting for the news to trickle through of who is coming in and who is available, to hear in January that you have got a striker that is going to be a couple of weeks away from being ready to roll is quite strange I’d say,” he wrote in his column for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
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“But with Augustin the proof will be in the pudding and once he gets anywhere near the pitch in any particular fit state we will see what player they have got.
“He could be a great signing, he could be a poor signing and we won’t know until he gets out on the pitch.
“The jury is out and the jury is out with any player unless you bring a bona fide centre forward who has been playing in. Nahki Wells cost Bristol City around £5m.
“He knows his way around the Championship and couldn’t Leeds have scraped around to get that type of deal done? I know it’s not small change but it’s not extortionate.”
It’s an interesting point that Prutton makes about Wells. However, the thinking is that Leeds weren’t really in the race for a permanent striker signing because of Financial Fair Play.
Only they know whether £5million would have impacted that, and if it would have then fair enough, they couldn’t sign Wells. But if they could have got it done, why didn’t they?
Because Wells is proven in the division. He’s got 15 goals on loan at Queens Park Rangers this campaign before his Bristol City switch, and 65 in the Championship all told.
He would’ve been an ideal player to help drive Leeds’ promotion push. Still, it didn’t happen, so it’s probably best not to dwell on it.
In other Leeds United news, a returning veteran stalwart is thought to be available to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.