Director insists Leeds gave blessing to surprise free transfer

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The Nantes director Franck Kita has insisted he received written permission from both Leeds United and RB Leipzig before signing Jean-Kevin Augustin.

Augustin spent the second half of last season on loan to Leeds from Leipzig.

But the striker played just three times for the Whites, who are now embroiled in a legal battle with the German side.

Leipzig claim Leeds reneged on their obligation to buy Augustin for €20 million (around £18.2m) following promotion to the Premier League.

But Augustin made a surprise free transfer to Nantes this week, in spite of all that.

At the 23-year-old’s unveiling earlier, Kita assured RMC Sport: “We have no doubts (about signing Augustin). We have a written record from both clubs (Leeds and Leipzig). Experience shows me that we must not take risks. We did not take risks. Otherwise we would not have positioned ourselves on the player.”

Augustin, who had two years left on his Leipzig contract, sent the following message to Leeds fans on Tuesday:

Leeds have since signed the Spain striker Rodrigo Moreno in a club-record deal, while Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in his first four Premier League games for the club