Jean-Kevin Augustin passionate about 'best project' at Leeds United and committed to Whites before Manchester United interest

JEAN-KEVIN AUGUSTIN says a first taste of the Elland Road crowd has left him wanting to die fighting for Leeds United’s Premier League promotion push.
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Highly-coveted striker Augustin joined the Whites on an initial loan deal from Bundesliga outfit Red Bull Leipzig on Monday and then arrived at Elland Road with the rest of the Whites squad for Tuesday night’s Championship hosting of Millwall.

With Augustin yet to have trained with his new team-mates, the 22-year-old Frenchman then sat in the stands as United recorded a stunning comeback to recover from being 2-0 down to record a 3-2 victory to send the Whites top.

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Augustin says he is now fit and ready to feature if selected for this Saturday’s Championship hosting of Wigan Athletic though Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa has said the Frenchman will need time to integrate into the group.

'BEST PROJECT': New Leeds United recruit Jean-Kevin Augustin arrives for Tuesday night's Championship clash against Millwall at Elland Road.'BEST PROJECT': New Leeds United recruit Jean-Kevin Augustin arrives for Tuesday night's Championship clash against Millwall at Elland Road.
'BEST PROJECT': New Leeds United recruit Jean-Kevin Augustin arrives for Tuesday night's Championship clash against Millwall at Elland Road.

Augustin said he will merely await and respect Bielsa’s call - but the forward is already champing at the bit to give his new club his all.

Leeds have signed Augustin on loan until the end of the season and have the option to sign the striker on a permanent basis upon completion of his loan spell.

Reflecting on his first experiences of a packed Elland Road this week, Augustin said: “It was amazing and extraordinary just to be in the stands and experience that - I don’t know what it would be like actually down there on the field. I’m looking forward to it.

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“It was amazing how right through from the first minute, right through to the 90th minute or 90 minutes plus how they drove the team forward and pushed the team on and supported the team.

“They had the setback of conceding twice early on yet with the help of the fans they fought back to win the game 3-2.

“It was an amazing feeling from the stands and it really does make you want to die for the club down there and die for the team and die for the club and give everything out there so I can’t wait to get out and play in front of them.”

Several other clubs were interested in Augustin’s signature with Manchester United believed to have taken a late interest in the forward who had been on loan at Monaco and who has been capped at every French youth level up to under-21s.

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“I had one or two clubs who were interested in me but when I was making my decision I didn’t want to go to a club just for the sake of it,” said Augustin.

“I didn’t want to go anywhere just for the sake of a move that I was going somewhere, I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to play, I was going to get minutes and I would have clear aims and objectives for the end of the season which I thought Leeds were definitely offering me.

“It wasn’t a case of turning down any clubs.

“There has been mention of Manchester United and it wasn’t a case of turning them down, it just wast the fact that I had already made my decision and I decided that for me, as a player and as a person, the best project and the best plan was provided by Leeds United and that’s what I wanted to do. I had decided already.”

Asked how he felt physically and if he would be ready fitness-wise to feature this weekend, Augustin reasoned: “Fitness-wise, physically I feel ready. I feel absolutely ready and 100 per cent fit in that sense.

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“I think when you are coming into a new group of players you need time to adapt to how they play, their tactics, their movements and their runs that they make on and off the ball so I think it’s down to the coach really.

“I’m ready to play but I also understand if the coach takes the decision that maybe slowly but surely and brings me on for a few minutes to try to adapt to the intensity of the Championship.

“I think the intensity and the speed and the rhythm of the game here in the Championship is a lot more intense and a lot higher than it is in French football so I feel maybe slowly but surely.

“Certainly from a physical point of view and fitness point of view I am ready but it just takes that time to settle into a new team and a new group of players.”