Leeds United’s Head of Medicine and Performance Rob Price has revealed to The Athletic how the club are monitoring Jean-Kevin Augustin’s rehabilitation from a hamstring strain amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The outbreak of Covid-19 and the measures imposed by the UK government saw Thorp Arch close its doors to almost everyone, though Price continues to spend five days a week at the club’s training ground to oversee the operations that cannot close down.
A handful of players, including Adam Forshaw and Augustin, also continue to travel into Thorp Arch to work on their fitness as they need face-to-face treatment, while others are given fitness and dietary programmes to follow.
Forshaw is one of the few who must visit Price and his team following a second operation to deal with a problem affecting his groin and hip, while Augustin is also in attendance as he battles back from a hamstring strain.
Staff at Thorp Arch are working with Augustin to increase the likelihood of the RB Leipzig loanee featuring whenever play can resume, with boss Marcelo Bielsa without the Frenchman for our last three Championship fixtures due to his strain.
Augustin is being put through a series of drills aimed at improving his sprint mechanics during his rehabilitation, which will hopefully allow the rarely-seen 22-year-old to earn further minutes following three substitute outings since his January arrival in West Yorkshire.
Augustin is yet to start a single game for Leeds since signing on loan in January, when Director of Football Victor Orta agreed to pay the remaining €2million (£1.7m) of AS Monaco’s temporary terms, where the Paris Saint-Germain product earned just two starts over 10 Ligue 1 outings.
Earning minutes on the field could further convince Augustin of staying at Elland Road for the long-term, having clearly felt there were enough reasons to move to West Yorkshire in January and sign a deal that includes a €21m (£18.4m) obligation to buy dependent on earning promotion, though one the striker can also turn down.
In other Leeds United news, a prominent Whites pundit has reacted to a close source revealing offers for a young Whites ace.