Leeds United reveal exactly how Georginio Rutter felt about leaving for Brighton | OneFootball

Rutter has left Elland Road - and in their statement last night - the Whites revealed how desperate he was to secure a move to the Amex Stadium.

Leeds United have revealed that Georginio Rutter was "persistent and adamant" in his quest to leave the club for Brighton and Hove Albion.

Revealing this on their official website, the Whites also claimed that they had made a real effort to keep the Frenchman at Elland Road, but those efforts proved to be futile in the end.

Leeds have seen a number of key players depart the club this summer, with Archie Gray their first high-profile exit of the summer.

Glen Kamara and Crysencio Summerville have also left, with the latter's move to West Ham United a real blow considering how important he was in the final third during the 2023/24 campaign.

His goal contributions ensured the Whites secured a finish in the promotion mix - and the Dutchman looks set to be a big miss at Elland Road.

Their former loanees and some of those who went out on loan last summer have also left the club since the end of last season, with Jack Harrison securing a loan return to Everton and the likes of Diego Llorente and Marc Roa sealing permanent exits.

And plenty of players were released on the expiration of their deals, with all of these exits potentially helping to reduce the club's wage bill considerably.

Despite this, the West Yorkshire side will want to be as competitive as possible on the pitch this season.

They have been able to retain some of their key players, including Willy Gnonto and Dan James, and have also added some quality to their squad during the summer transfer window.

However, they will probably need to spend a considerable amount between now and the end of the window to replace key players that have departed Elland Road, including Rutter, who has decided to make the move to the Seagulls.

Leeds United make claim after Georginio Rutter's departure

Rutter was a key player for Leeds last season and with this in mind, it's no surprise that the Whites were desperate to keep hold of him beyond the end of the summer window.

However, Brighton were able to activate a £40m in his contract this summer to lure him away from Elland Road.

And with the player keen to make the move, he was able to secure this switch to the Amex Stadium.

However, the Whites were keen to let fans know that they did everything they could to try and retain him.

In their official statement following the Frenchman's exit, they posted: "Every effort was made to keep Georginio at Elland Road despite his exit clause being activated, but he was persistent and adamant in his desire to leave and we respect his decision."

Georginio Rutter will be a big miss for Leeds United

Rutter was a key player for the Whites during the 2023/24 campaign and contributed a huge amount in the final third.

And with Summerville leaving, keeping the Frenchman could have been crucial for them.

With less than two weeks to go until the end of the summer window, recruiting replacements for both will be a very tricky task.

They should have a decent amount to spend because of these sales, but they don't have that much time to bring in the players they need to give themselves the best chance of promotion.