Leeds United transfer news: ‘Interesting one’ update on Georginio Rutter shared by Phil Hay amid ‘high fee’ verdict
Leeds United are likely to keep hold of record-signing Georginio Rutter to play in the Championship next season despite his high fee, believes Phil Hay.
The £35.5million January signing [Sky Sports, 15 January] had a nightmare first few months at Elland Road as he failed to find the net for the senior side and increasingly failed to get into the team, with Sam Allardyce not even considering him as an option against West Ham on 21 May despite injuries to both Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, in a verdict Hay called “scathing”.
The Athletic’s Whites reporter expects numerous first-team players to move on this summer, but sees Tyler Adams and Willy Gnonto as two that the club very much want to keep, and relative flop Rutter looks set to be a part of things going forward either way.
Speaking on The Phil Hay Show on Thursday night (1 June, 23m 20s): “A quite interesting one as well is I do think Georginio Rutter will stay. I think they will keep him and give him a whirl in the Championship.
“Even despite the fact that he came in for such a high fee in January I think he will probably stick around.”
Return
It is the only way Leeds United are likely to eventually realise a return on their record investment so this is perhaps not so much of a surprise.
Giving up on a 21-year-old who has been brought into a mess of a season at Elland Road, under what is increasingly looking like basket-case of an administration, after six months would make no sense.
The Frenchman’s time with the club has clearly not been successful so far, but since he arrived there have already been four different managers in charge so that should come as no shock.
It is probably equally unsurprising that the man who decided to spend so much money on a player who was seen as one for the future while in the midst of a descent towards relegation that required help immediately, Victor Orta, is also no longer around.
So, while Allardyce’s refusal to even consider him was anything but a glowing assessment the damage is now done in terms of relegation, and responsibility for that isn’t largely Rutter’s.
Since he was bought for the future Leeds United might as well now try to develop him as such at what may be a better level for him at this stage.
If he struggles in the Championship then there may be an argument that a change of scenery, likely on loan, makes sense to rebuild his confidence, but a proper run in the team seems necessary before such a decision is made.
By any measure a permanent exit seems out of the question as the likelihood of anyone spending anything like what the Whites already have is surely non-existent.
In other Leeds United news, one of the few stars of the season is now almost certain to leave after a Friday announcement.