Leeds United drop appeal against £24.5m payment for disastrous transfer

The Whites signed the striker on loan from RB Leipzig for the second half of the 2019-20 season with an obligation to buy him for a then-club record-equalling £18m fee if they were promoted to the Premier League.

However that was the season delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and Leeds argued that the clause was time-limited, and that at the end of it, Leeds' Premier League status was still in doubt. They won promotion in July.

After the substitute appearances with scoring, Augustin was sent back to Germany and before the end of the season and never played for Leeds or Leipzig again, going on to join Nantes and Basel.

In June 2021, world football's governing body, FIFA, sided with Leipzig, and Leeds took their case to CAS, who in November 2022 found in FIFA's favour and ordered the Whites to pay Leipzig £18.4m. A £15.5m settlement was eventually reached.

In April 2023, FIFA ordered Leeds to pay the player £24.5m in compensation. The club, now back in the Championship, had planned to appeal that decision but have now dropped the case.

CAS have announced "that process has ended prematurely without a further ruling" after Leeds dropped their appeal.

It hopefully draws a line under surely the worst transfer in the club's history.