Angus Kinnear has taken a swipe at a Premier League club after their attempts to 'hijack' Leeds United's move for Jean-Kevin Augustin.

The Whites completed a loan deal for the 22-year-old on Monday morning - a move which gives Leeds the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Marcelo Bielsa's side were able to fend off a reported last-minute approach from Manchester United for the striker, according to The Athletic, and the Leeds Chief Executive has said that this was testament to the integrity of the player and his representatives.

Writing in Leeds' official matchday programme (28/01, Issue 15), Kinnear said: “Jean-Kevin has long held an ambition to play in the Premier League and so we were able to work with AS Monaco and RB Leipzig him an opportunity to play a part in realising that ambition.

“It was telling of Jean-Kevin’s quality that a Premier League club tried to hijack our move for him at the 11th hour.

“That team’s board should now probably be questioning their scouting department as to why their recruitment strategy is based on reacting to newspaper reports of whom Leeds might be targeting.

“It was a testament to Jean-Kevin and his agent’s commitment to Leeds United that their heads weren’t turned.”

Kinnear added: “We believe that both Augustin and Poveda have the ability to make an immediate impact to an already strong squad that has put us in a fantastic position but, as importantly, we have signed two players of undoubted long-term Premier League quality.

“This was a critical part of our recruitment brief.”

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The verdict

Leeds United's move for Jean-Kevin Augustin seems even more impressive given recent reports.

It's been well-documented that the striker is highly-rated around Europe with the 22-year-old developing with several of the continent's biggest clubs.

However the last-ditch attempt from Manchester United shows just how good Augustin could be.

Leeds looks like the ideal place for him to learn and grow and if the club can get promoted it appears that the Whites will have a proper player on their hands.