Some Leeds fans have accused Georginio Rutter of a lack of class after completing a £40m move to Brighton.
The Seagulls sealed a deal for the French forward on Monday after activating a release clause written into his contract at Elland Road. Rutter’s move brings to an end a two-year spell with Leeds following a big-money move from Hoffenheim.
And Brighton’s transfer announcement has since ruffled some feathers among supporters of the Yorkshire club. The Seagulls showed Rutter behind a laptop screen and on Twitter. He then composed a tweet reading: “Don’t go to bed just yet…,” with a smiley emoji, which had already appeared on Brighton’s official account.
The post is a hark back to an infamous post that Leeds shared a decade ago. On deadline day in 2014, they tweeted: “Don’t go to bed just yet…there is still work to be done #DeadlineDay #lufc.”
With fans potentially expecting more signings, Leeds announced that strikers Matt Smith and Dominic Poleon had completed moves to Fulham and Oldham respectively. The club then signed off with another tweet reading: “After a busy last hour that is us done for the 2014 Summer Transfer Window #DeadlineDay #lufc.”
Rutter’s version has since not gone down particularly well with Leeds fans. One particularly disgruntled reporter wrote: “Oh dear @georgi_hrt absolutely no grace, no class there at all. Most fans would have wished you well but this is a really stupid thing to do.”
Another wrote: “Hahaha we’ve been cooked,” while another said. “Getting a player to do that when he doesn’t know the meaning behind it is low.” A final Leeds supporter wrote: “Rutter is a grown man. He’d have known what that tweet meant. Not having it.”
To Rutter’s defence, he likely did not know the relevance of the tweet given he was just 12 years of age at the time of the original post. Since then, the Frenchman has gone on to play for Rennes, Hoffenheim, Leeds and now Brighton.
His big-money switch to the Amex Stadium comes off the back of the most-productive season yet of his career. He scored eight goals and provided 16 assists in all competitions last term as Leeds reached the Championship playoff final but lost out on promotion against Southampton at Wembley.
Rutter could potentially make his debut for Brighton this weekend. They host Manchester United after opening their season with an eye-catching 3-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park.