RB Leipzig’s Commercial Director of Sport Florian Scholz has stated they are ready to “take further steps” to make Leeds United sign striker Jean-Kévin Augustin.
The Frenchman signed on loan with Leeds during the January transfer window, with Marcelo Bielsa keen to add further firepower to his side and ensure promotion to the Premier League.
That deal included a purchase clause in which the then Championship club would have to pay €21m for a permanent deal should they secure promotion.
That is something Leeds achieved, ending the season as champions and bringing a 16-year wait for Premier League football to an end.
However, Augustin did not play any part in their success, managing just three appearances and 48 minutes of football in total come the end of the season.
Thus, Leeds have refused to pay up for the clause, insisting that at the period of time when it should have been activated, they had still not achieved promotion as the season was ongoing during the Coronavirus lockdown.
Their argument is that the clause is therefore invalid and so they don’t have to sign the Frenchman, who it is clear they do not want.
Leipzig say differently, though, and now Scholz has indicated they are willing to go further to ensure they get the money they believe they are owed.
“The legal situation is clear,” he told Sport Buzzer.
“Leeds is currently in the process of spending a lot of money on the transfer market but does not stand by its contractual obligations. We are ready to take further steps.”
That is a clear indication the German side are willing to pursue every avenue they can to get the money or at least compensation of some sort.
Leeds, of course, are likely to battle this to the bitter end, primarily because €21m is a lot of money that they will feel can be better spent elsewhere.
The intent is there, though, and if anything has Court of Arbitration for Sport written all over it, it’s this case.
