Breaking News: He Has Gone And Never To Return Again………..read more.

Brighton has triggered a £40m release clause in Leeds United forward Georginio Rutter’s contract. After the deadline passed at midnight on Thursday, no other club can activate the clause, meaning Rutter will either join Brighton or remain with Leeds. Head coach Daniel Farke expects the transfer to be confirmed within the next 24 to 48 hours, as stated in a Thursday afternoon press conference. Rutter has already bid farewell to his teammates, and a medical at Brighton is likely to follow soon. If the move is finalized, it would set a record for a player sold from the Championship who was not recently relegated.

 

Brajan Gruda was unveiled as Brighton’s latest signing from Mainz 05 for £25m on Wednesday, while Mats Wieffer, Malick Yalcouye, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Ibrahim Osman have also joined the club.

Arguably their standout arrival thus far is the club-record addition of winger Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United for £33m, but Brighton could soon be breaking that record for a second time this summer.

Indeed, The Athletic reports that Brighton have activated the £40m release clause in the contract of Leeds forward Rutter, who has been a top target for the Seagulls throughout this summer.

Leeds are said to have previously rejected bids of £29m and £35m from Brighton before they opted to met the terms of Rutter’s release clause on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old still has four years remaining on his contract at Elland Road and is it now up to him to decide whether or not he should make the big-money switch to the Premier League.

Rutter made himself available for selection on Wednesday as Leeds suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough in the first round of the EFL Cup.

The Frenchman is said to have ‘behaved in an exemplary manner throughout’ amid Brighton’s interest and he is regarded as an extremely popular figure at Elland Road.