Chris Sutton says player that left Leeds United in the summer has a ‘massive issue’ at new club

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A total of 14 players left Leeds United in the summer for different reasons, even if Daniel Farke’s side only actually sold two players in Rasmus Kristensen and Sam Greenwood.

Kristensen’s permanent move to Frankfurt was confirmed in April, for a fee of £7.7m. Greenwood made the shock move to Polish side Pogon for £3.5m. The other 12 departures left without bringing in a fee.

Junior Firpo, Josuha Guilavogui, Patrick Bamford, and Darko Gyabi left on free transfers. Six have gone on loan in Mateo Joseph, Largie Ramazani, Max Wober, Isaac Schmidt, Charlie Crew, and striker Joe Gelhardt.

The other two returned to their parent clubs, in Manor Solomon and Joe Rothwell. Solomon has since gone to Villarreal on loan from Tottenham, while Rothwell completed a permanent move to Rangers.

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Chris Sutton comments on Joe Rothwell’s poor Rangers form

Rothwell began well. Rangers fans were impressed with Rothwell on debut against Panathinaikos at Ibrox in Champions League qualifying. But things have fallen off a cliff since, with Russell Martin under pressure.

Rangers have failed to win a single league game from their five Premiership outings. They were knocked out of Champions League qualifying and are back in the Europa League and Rothwell is struggling.

Speaking to the Monday Night Club, Chris Sutton named Rothwell and Max Aarons as players who have disappointed since going north of the border. He underlined the difficulty of playing for such a big club.

“The recruitment is a massive issue. I feel sorry for some of the players he’s brought in from down south. Max Aarons, I thought on the face of it, that’s a good signing but Russell is playing him as a left-back.

“The crowd are on his back. Joe Rothwell, a really decent playing career at Leeds, Blackburn. He’s really been affected by expectation, moans and groans. It’s a difficult place to play; the environment is toxic.”

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Hiring Martin raised eyebrows at the time. Paraag Marathe, who completed a takeover with Andrew Kavanagh and is the current vice chairman, hired the man who beat Leeds in the play-off final in 2024.

But Rothwell’s move to Rangers felt like a good pick. There were parts of the Leeds fanbase that wanted the club to sign Rothwell permanently, especially with Leeds now lacking a set-piece taker this season.

However, as Sutton says, you can be the best player in the world and still struggle in the melting pot that is playing for Rangers or Celtic. Sutton said that Rangers and Celtic are on a ‘different level’ to Leeds.

The pressure can get on top of you. Rothwell has experienced it at Leeds but when the rest of the side are falling by the wayside around you, including the manager, it must be incredibly difficult for him currently.