LEEDS may have to fork out a staggering £40million for the bungled transfer of a player they never even owned.
It comes after it emerged the Whites have withdrawn their appeal against the awarding of £24.5m in compensation to their former striker Jean-Kevin Augustin from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In 2020 Leeds struck an agreement with RB Leipzig to sign the Frenchman on loan with a clause agreeing to an £18m purchase if the club were promoted to the Premier League, which was achieved.
Augustin played just 48 minutes across three appearances under Marcelo Bielsa as a hamstring injury sidelined him before the season was wrecked by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Elland Road outfit pulled out of the deal and argued they should not have to pay the transfer fee because Augustin’s loan expired on June 30, while the season ended up finishing on July 17.
Leipzig lodged a successful complaint with Fifa and saw their compensation claim upheld by a subsequent CAS appeal from Leeds last November.
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The two sides eventually agreed a settlement transfer fee of £15.5m in December 2022.
However, Augustin also lodged a separate appeal to Fifa for compensation against Leeds amounting to a sum of £24.5m in lost wages and bonuses.
This figure represents Augustin’s full £93,000-a-week wages on a five-year contract plus a signing on bonus worth around £2.5m.
Fifa found partially in his favour last year, with Leeds tabling an appeal with CAS.
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But according to The Athletic, the Whites are now said to have withdrawn that appeal with the “process ending prematurely without a further ruling”.
A statement from CAS given to The Athletic said: “The appeal in the arbitration CAS 2023/A/9616 Leeds United v Jean-Kevin Augustin, against the decision issued on 30 March 2023 by FIFA Football Tribunal Dispute Resolution Chamber (FPSD-6567), was withdrawn.”
It is unclear whether the withdrawal of the appeal means Leeds will commit to paying Augustin the full amount.
If the appeal withdrawal is indicative of a commitment to pay the full sum awarded to Augustin by Fifa, Leeds are looking at a total bill of £40m in transfer fee and wages for a player they never owned fully.
After Leeds refused to sign Augustin permanently he signed for FC Nantes that season.
He only made 11 appearances in a two-year spell in France before signing for Basel in 2022.
The now 26-year-old has made 51 appearances and scored eight goals since joining the Swiss club.
Leeds currently sit third in the Championship, one point behind Leicester and Ipswich who occupy the automatic playoff spots.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
