Brighton continue to upgrade for Fabian Hürzeler’s debut year. After Brajan Gruda, Georginio Rutter is another expensive attacking player with Bundesliga experience
At the last moment, namely in the final of the play-offs, Georginio Rutter missed out on a return to the Premier League with Leeds United in July. One month later, however, things have worked out for him personally: the 22-year-old attacker, who once played 57 Bundesliga games for TSG Hoffenheim (eleven goals), is moving to Brighton & Hove Albion after weeks of uncertainty.
Late on Monday evening, coach Fabian Hürzeler’s new employers announced the signing of Rutter, who has been given a contract until 2029. After being rebuffed with other offers, the Seagulls activated the get-out clause in Rutter’s contract shortly before it expired, meaning that Leeds will probably receive the equivalent of €47 million – a new record for Brighton.
This means that last year’s eleventh-placed team is continuing to upgrade and is fueling the euphoria in which dreams of the European Cup and even a title are already being entertained in the first year under Hürzeler – the youngest coach in Premier League history. Brighton had just spent 30 million euros on the Mainz winger Brajan Gruda and broke the 100 million euro mark for purchases.
“Georginio is a player who is capable of getting the fans off their seats and he showed what he can do in English soccer last season with Leeds,” said the 31-year-old, delighted with the latest addition, who he already knows from his time at TSG Hoffenheim.
Farke loses his offense – after a bumpy start
Rutter was already a record purchase when Leeds brought him in from Hoffenheim in January 2023 in a deal worth up to €40 million. With him, coach Daniel Farke, who has not made a good start to the new season and is already under pressure, has lost his second top attacker this summer after Crysencio Summerville (to West Ham United). The traditional club are facing a hot last two weeks in the summer transfer window.
Rutter finished last season in the Championship with six goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances after being relegated from the Premier League in his first six months in a Leeds shirt, when he was often not even allowed to play as a substitute.
