West Brom’s upcoming Championship opponents, Leeds United, are on the verge of losing one of their key players after Brighton & Hove Albion triggered a release clause.
According to various sources, including the BBC, Brighton has activated Georginio Rutter’s £40m release clause. Earlier in the summer, the Seagulls had a £30m bid for the forward rejected, but they have now decided to meet the release clause stipulated in Rutter’s contract with Leeds.
The Yorkshire Evening Post reported that the deadline for activating the clause was midnight on Wednesday (July 14), coinciding with Leeds’ loss to Middlesbrough. Brighton managed to trigger the clause in time, and Rutter is now faced with the decision of whether to join the Seagulls at the American Express Stadium. Sky Germany reports that Rutter has already verbally agreed to the move.
Sky Sports in the UK indicates that Leeds are trying to convince Rutter to remain at Elland Road and give them another season in the Championship. If the transfer goes through, it would set a new record fee for a player from a club not immediately relegated from the top flight, with Romeo Lavia’s £58m move from Southampton to Chelsea holding the current record.
Rutter’s potential transfer raises uncertainty about whether he will feature in the match against West Brom this weekend. Leeds are keen to keep him, but Rutter and his representatives are likely to discuss terms with Brighton. With just two days until the game, even if the deal isn’t finalized, Leeds will need to decide whether to play him amid the ongoing transfer saga.
Both Leeds and West Brom were knocked out in the first round of the Carabao Cup earlier this week, with Leeds suffering a heavy defeat to Middlesbrough, who scored three goals in 17 minutes.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke accepted full responsibility for the defeat after making eight changes to the lineup but assured that their league performance would not mirror the cup result. Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, he acknowledged that the extensive squad rotation led to the loss but emphasized the importance of a better performance in the league.