During the 2022-23 season, former Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce reflected on his brief tenure attempting to rescue the team from relegation in the Premier League, a mission that ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Allardyce was thrust into the tense situation with just four games remaining, tasked with steering The Whites clear of the drop. Interestingly, one player he had little faith in during this critical period was Georginio Rutter, who had joined the club in January 2023 for a hefty £35 million fee from TSG Hoffenheim on a lengthy five-and-a-half-year contract.

In a recent interview on the Under the Cosh Podcast, Allardyce revealed his decision to overlook Rutter in those decisive matches, questioning the young player’s readiness for the high-stakes Premier League battle. Despite Rutter’s subsequent success under manager Daniel Farke in the Championship, where he notched impressive stats, Leeds ultimately missed out on promotion following a defeat in the Play-Off Final against Southampton.

As Leeds underwent changes in their squad, Rutter was among the players offloaded to Brighton & Hove Albion for £40 million after his release clause was triggered this summer. Allardyce, having doubted Rutter’s abilities previously, hinted that the forward now has a chance to prove himself in the Premier League under less intense circumstances.

With Farke’s team poised for promotion in the current Championship campaign, the potential for Rutter to face Leeds in the top-flight next season adds an intriguing subplot to his journey in English football.