Brighton activate Georginio Rutter’s £40million transfer release clause as fans fear Leeds ‘well and truly finished’

BRIGHTON have activated Georginio Rutter’s £40m transfer release clause – and Leeds fans aren’t happy about it.

Rutter was crucial in Elland Road’s bid to return to the Premier League last season, which ultimately fell short after losing to Southampton in the Championship play-off final.

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Leeds previously turned down bids of £29m and £35m before Brighton met the terms of Rutter’s buy-out clause on Wednesday.

The Seagulls were the only club to have activated the clause in the French attacker’s contract prior to the midnight deadline.

And it could be a huge blow in Leeds’ promotion hopes, with the decision is now in the 22-year-old’s hands.

Leeds are trying to persuade Rutter to stay having already sold Archie Gray to Tottenham and Crysencio Summerville to West Ham this summer.

He’s a crucial source of creativity in attack for Leeds playing as a 10 behind Patrick Bamford and looked set to become the main man under Daniel Farke.

Rutter provided seven goals and 15 assists in 47 Championship appearances last season.

Leeds signed him in January 2023 on a five-and-a-half-year deal from Hoffenheim for a club-record £35m fee.

He made 11 Premier League appearances during the second half of the 2022-23 campaign as Leeds were relegated from the Premier League.

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And Leeds fans are on anxiously reeling about another prized asset potentially leaving.

Taking to X, one fan wrote: “Leeds is well and truly finished.”

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Meanwhile, Conor Gallagher is in transfer limbo, with the Chelsea midfielder’s proposed £33.7million move to Atletico Madrid in huge doubt.

Elsewhere, Newcastle have reportedly made a third bid for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi.

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A second said: “If Rutter does go that would be the end of a promotion push for me.”

A third added: “If we lose both Rutter and Gnonto we’re toast.”

While another noted: “We will be a midtable team the way things are going.”

A fifth said: “Please, Georgi, stay at Leeds. Remember the good times.”

Rutter has featured twice this season as Leeds began the campaign with a late 3-3 draw against Portsmouth , and a Carabao Cup first-round defeat to Middlesbrough on Wednesday.

Meanwhile if Brighton do get Rutter, they’ll break their own transfer record twice in one summer.

The Seagulls bought Yankuba Minteh in a club-record signing from Newcastle for £33m in July.

Brajan Gruda, Mats Wieffer, Malick Yalcouye, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Ibrahim Osman have also joined the Premier League side.

Brighton begin the 2024- 25 campaign under new manager Fabian Hurzeler against Everton on Saturday.

Alamy