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The highly-rated frontman has taken on a promotion bid in the Championship after favouring a loan switch to Elland Road in the January transfer window
Jean-Kevin Augustin claims he did not turn down Manchester United, but admits that late interest in his services was ignored as he had already taken the decision to link up with Leeds on loan.
The 22-year-old frontman will see out the season at Elland Road after opting to take on another fresh start away from RB Leipzig.
With several clubs in the market for a new forward before the winter window closes, Augustin was a man in demand once an exit door in Germany swung open.
Those at Old Trafford were said to be keen, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scrambles around to find another goalscorer, but the Red Devils’ old adversaries had already won the race for a prized signature.
Explaining his decision to head for Yorkshire over Manchester or any other destination, Augustin said in The Mirror: “I had already made my decision as a player this was the best plan and project.
“We looked at videos of Leeds and I could see this was my style. Pressing high, good in possession and working hard. We thought I would fit in nicely. Things happened quickly.
“I didn’t have to think more than a second about coming here. I decided to play for Leeds straight away.
“I had one or two other clubs interested. I didn’t want to go anywhere just for the sake of it, I wanted to play and to have clear aims and objectives for the season like Leeds have.
“It wasn’t a case of turning Man Utd down, it was a case of I had already made my decision.”
Augustin, who joined Leipzig for £11 million ($14m) in the summer of 2017 but struggled to produce his best for the Bundesliga leaders, is confident that he can offer Leeds something different to established striker Patrick Bamford.
He said of linking up with Marcelo Bielsa’s promotion-chasing Championship table-toppers: “I am a quick attacker, mobile.
“I am comfortable running in behind or dropping deep. I am good at finding space. As well as speed, I can run long distances and run hard and I think I am decent in front of goal. We will work in training to help the squad and to achieve our goals.
“Leeds score goals, and create chances. It is joyful scoring goals and it gives status to the team. My job is to work with the lads as we march forward together.
“Fitness wise I am ready, 100 per cent. When you come to a new club you need time to adapt to the new players, runs off the ball, see how you fit in.
“If the coach slowly but surely brings me on for a few minutes, I will adapt. The intensity of the Championship is high.”
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Augustin, who spent the first half of the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Monaco, added: “I have no regrets coming here. I had a decent first season at Leipzig, did ok, then we got a new coach and I didn’t have many games.
“At Monaco again I didn’t feature much. I wanted a change. It was worth taking time to see how Leeds played and focus on what a good plan it was here for the future. I am not looking back.”
Augustin could make his bow for the Whites when they play host to Wigan on Saturday.
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