Leeds United: Graham Smyth shares Georginio Rutter update after Elland Road injury news
Graham Smyth believes Georginio Rutter is on course to be available for Leeds United on their return to Championship action against Watford.
Rutter withdrew from France’s Under-21s squad earlier this week to undergo a minor operation, which he later confirmed was successful.
Leeds announced via their official website on Monday (18 March) that the Daniel Farke favourite will miss around 10 days of action.
That would see Rutter return on Thursday 28, a day before the trip to Vicarage Road in another big test on the road to automatic promotion.
Asked on the Inside Elland Road podcast [21 March, 12m 35s] if he expects Rutter to start that game, Smyth said: “I hope so. I do hope so because he’s so important to this team in the number 10 role.
“I remember looking into Patrick Bamford’s surgery during the World Cup break and the repair was a couple of sutures, which avoids more severe and invasive surgery.
“That allows players to be back running within something like three days. So if he’s had that, then it should be a short time before we see him back on the pitch and producing stepovers.”
Who has the most assists in the Championship?
Rutter has been in sensational form for Leeds this season, so much so that he has now been named as the division’s most valuable player.
The club-record signing struggled in his first half-season at Elland Road, but his 17 assists this season is the joint-most in the Championship.
That is level with Ipswich Town’s Leif Davis, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Leicester City is next on the list with 12 [Transfermarkt].
Rutter has been a regular for Farke and the German will be desperate to start him against Watford in a little over a week’s time.
At the same time, he will know full well that you cannot gamble on a player’s fitness ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures.
It may therefore make sense to use Rutter as a substitute option if required, before then unleashing him against Hull City three days later.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have agreed terms with a player over a new deal at Elland Road.
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