Leeds senior chief blasts PL club who tried to hijack swoop for Jan signing at 11th hour

Tue 28 January 2020 19:15, UK

Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear has blasted a Premier League club for trying to hijack the Whites’ swoop for Jean-Kevin Augustin.

Leeds confirmed on Monday that Augustin, 22, had arrived at Elland Road on loan from RB Leipzig with there being the chance of a permanent deal in the summer.

The Athletic journalist David Orsntein has since reported that Manchester United tried to make a last-ditch swoop to sign the French centre-forward before his move to Leeds was wrapped up. However Man United failed in their advances because the Whites were too advanced in their bid to land him.

Man Utd made late enquiry for Augustin but Leeds move too advanced/impressive. That + Fernandes, Cavani, Piatek, Sancho, Giroud, Bergwijn, Eriksen, Rose, Mari, Matviyenko, Vieira, Chelsea, Newcastle & more with @markchapman @liam_twomey for @TheAthleticUK: https://t.co/AXiyHbIKoN
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 28, 2020

View Tweet

Although Kinnear did not name Man United as the club who tried to beat Leeds to Augustin, he has hit out at a Premier League club in his programme notes this week.

“It was telling of Jean-Kevin’s quality that a Premier League club tried to hijack our move for him at the 11th hour,” he said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“That team’s board should now probably be questioning their scouting department as to why their recruitment strategy is based on reacting to newspaper reports of whom Leeds might be targeting. It was a testament to Jean-Kevin and his agent’s commitment to Leeds United that their heads weren’t turned.

“We believe that both Augustin and Poveda have the ability to make an immediate impact to an already strong squad that has put us in a fantastic position but, as importantly, we have signed two players of undoubted Premier League quality. This was a critical part of our recruitment brief.”

Angus Kinnear, you legend.

He didn’t have to name the club, we all know it’s about Man United.

The Red Devils are a laughing stock at the moment and having a Championship side beat them to a transfer target just says all you need to know about them.

It’s made even better that Kinnear has come out to say this and really let rip at them.

A lot of credit needs to be paid to Augustin, his agent and Leipzig too because it might have been easy for them to pull the plug on the striker’s move to Leeds.

However, gladly, the deal is done and Augustin is in West Yorkshire until the summer and, maybe, beyond.

In other Leeds United news, Augustin has posted a six-word tweet ahead of Leeds’ clash against Millwall on Tuesday night.