Noel Whelan thinks Leeds United new boy Jean-Kevin Augustin could need up to two months to get up to full fitness, which could end up costing the Whites as they battle for promotion.
Leeds signed Augustin from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig on loan until the end of the season in the winter transfer window in an attempt to replace Eddie Nketiah, who returned to Arsenal last month.
While the Frenchman has made two appearances off the bench since his arrival at Elland Road, former Leeds star Whelan is sceptical of his match readiness.
The 45-year-old feels that the striker looked sluggish in the game against Brentford and appears to be struggling to get up to speed.
Whelan thinks Augustin looks like someone who needs a pre-season and will need two months to get his fitness to the required level.
"He just looks sluggish", Whelan said after the draw at Brentford on BBC Radio Leeds.
"He looks like he is fighting his fitness, fighting to find pace.
"It's a difficult one because generally, that's why you have your pre-season, that's where you get yourself up to speed.
"If he pushes himself too much and he is a little bit overweight or carrying too many pounds on there you can actually get yourself injured more than you can get fit.
"So you have to manage him very carefully, but at the same time, we have brought a player into the club that is not going to hit the ground running and it is going to take him two months minimum and that could cost us."
Augustin made just two league starts while on loan at Monaco earlier this season, with his other eight appearances coming off the bench.
