Javi Gracia says Leeds youngster is a pleasure to work with

Add as preferred source on Google

Javi Gracia has described Georginio Rutter as a pleasure to work with, as the Leeds United boss shared how hard the forward is working in training to improve – in comments reported by Leeds Live.

Leeds’ decision to sign Rutter in January is coming under the microscope. Of course, he became the club’s record signing as the Whites looked to secure more quality in the final third.

Ideally, Rutter would have time to settle in. But with Leeds in a relegation battle, and both Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo sidelined, we suddenly need the 20-year-old to hit the ground running.

Gracia heaps praise on Rutter

Unfortunately, Rutter’s first few performances hint that he has some way to go before he realises his potential. There definitely is huge potential. But he is far from the finished article.

He had to lead the line at Chelsea last weekend. Unfortunately, that proved to be a miserable afternoon for Leeds and Rutter, who barely laid a glove on the woefully out of form Blues.

As it is not clear when Bamford and Rodrigo will return, there is a chance that Rutter could keep his place against Brighton this weekend.

Gracia acknowledged that the situation is not ideal. But he defended Rutter after his display at Stamford Bridge.

“What I can say is that for me as a coach, it’s a pleasure to work with these kind of players,” he said, as reported by Leeds Live.

“I don’t know the price, I don’t speak about money, I speak about what I see in training. In this case Georginio is no different, he is working hard to improve and to try and help the team, that’s what I can say about him. It’s a pleasure for me to have players with that attitude and mentality.”

It does feel that the large majority of fans’ frustrations are not being directed at Rutter. Instead, there is an anger over the situation we now find ourselves in.

We were excited when we broke our transfer record on Rutter. But it is clear that he is still a work in progress. And what was also clear was that we needed another goalscorer.

Rutter has real talent. But he is not the goalscorer we were crying out for. And ultimately, there will have been little point in investing such a large amount in Rutter if we get relegated as he will likely swiftly leave at a huge loss.