Major Hamburg investor Klaus-Michael Kuhne has dubbed Leeds United target Pierre-Michel Lasogga the "flop of the century" and slammed the Bundesliga side for handing him such a lucrative contract.
Lasogga joined Hamburg, initially on loan, from Hertha Berlin in 2013 and scored 13 goals in 20 games, something which prompted the club to sign him on a five-year contract.
His performances have since declined and Hamburg want to ship him out – but Lasogga has two years left on a contract paying over €3m per season.
Leeds want Lasogga, but cannot shoulder his wages in full, complicating any deal, and Kunhe has slammed the conduct which has placed Hamburg in such a situation.
"HSV is a phenomenon because the losers always get suck here", the investor, pulling no punches, told Der Spiegel.
relatedNewsStory
"Lasogga is a good example, I do not know if I was involved in it.
"Must he be given a five-year contract and a yearly salary of over €3.5m after half a good season?
"This was Harakiri, the flop of the century", Kuhne added.
Hamburg had wanted to move Lasogga on this week, but no deal has yet been done.
The Bundesliga club are having trouble finding takers for the striker, meaning Leeds still appear the only option for Lasogga, if an agreement on finances can be reached.
