Brighton & Hove Albion have invoked a £40 million release clause in the contract of Leeds United forward Georginio Rutter.
It is now up to the 22-year-old to decide whether to go ahead with the proposed transfer.
The Premier League team expects Rutter to accept the transfer and is working to finalise his purchase. Leeds had already rejected bids of £29 million and £35 million before Brighton matched the requirements of Rutter’s departure mechanism on Wednesday (August 14).
Brighton made an offer for the forward before his release clause, which became activated following the club’s relegation from the Premier League last year, expired.
The France Under-21 international’s contract at Elland Road continues until 2028, but he will have to choose between staying there or taking a chance to play Premier
It’s league football again. Despite the situation surrounding Leeds’ Carabao Cup match against Middlesbrough, Rutter made himself available for selection and came on as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 defeat.
He is claimed to have performed admirably throughout and is considered as a popular member of the Leeds squad.
Rutter joined Leeds from Hoffenheim in January 2023 for an initial £25 million cost, with £10 million in potential add-ons relating to Premier League appearances, avoiding relegation, and European qualification, which will not be activated if Brighton completes the forward’s transfer. He made 11 Premier League games in the second half of the 2022-23 season as Leeds were relegated to the second division.
Last season, the attacker scored seven goals and assisted 15 times in 47 Championship matches, but Leeds were denied promotion after losing to Southampton in the play-off final.
Rutter has made two appearances for Leeds this season, starting with a late Championship draw against Portsmouth on Saturday and a Carabao Cup first-round defeat to Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.
Archie Grey and Crysencio Summerville, vital players for Daniel Farke last season, have already left Leeds this summer, with the former joining Tottenham Hotspur and the latter transferring to West Ham United.
Brighton, meanwhile, will face Everton on Saturday to kick off the 2024-25 season under new head coach Fabian Hurzeler. On Wednesday, they signed Brajan Gruda from Mainz, making him their sixth summer acquisition.
Leeds would risk losing third prized asset with Rutter’s sale.
Nancy Froston, The Athletic’s Leeds correspondent, provides her analysis.
This might be a major setback for Leeds’ promotion chances. Rutter, along with Crysencio Summerville and Archie Grey, was one of Leeds’ most valuable assets entering this season. Leeds might potentially lose all three.
Rutter impressed in preseason and provided a bright spark in the opening-day draw against Portsmouth. He’s a key source of creativity in Leeds’ attack and appeared to be the main man under Farke, much like Summerville last season.
Leeds will need to move quickly to sign players after losing another crucial member of their squad. Farke had already stated that he wanted a central midfielder, a left back, and a winger to replace Summerville. If Rutter leaves, there will be even more pressure to complete transactions as fast as possible. This would be Leeds’ second £40 million-plus sale of the summer, and it contrasts with what has been invested — even though Farke has spoken frequently about the club’s need to retrieve money to compensate for past mistakes.
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