Georginio Rutter is finally proving Leeds were justified in forking out for the young Frenchman in Januray.
Rutter arrived at Elland Road in a £36million transfer and is now repaying fans on the pitch and making an impression of it.
“Our reporter, Mark Wilson, covers Leeds a lot and says that Rutter is ‘a really cool guy’,” said talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham. “Like, you look at him and just think ‘what a cool dude’.
“He’s somebody you want to be mates with and he smells amazing apparently – he’s got the best perfumes!
“This is a guy who wants to smell good and look good on the pitch so I’ve got a lot of time for Georginio Rutter, let’s put it that way.”
But considering how incredible the striker smells, defenders in the Championship haven’t been able to get close to him so far this season.
He was just 20 when he joined from German side Hoffenheim and expected to come straight into the team and help a side, led by Jesse Marsch, avoid relegation.
However, the forward made little impact and started just once in the Premier League as Leeds went down.
“If you’re judging him on last season that’s quite harsh,” Durham added.
“He didn’t do the job last season but he’s 21 with a big weight on his shoulders to keep a massive club in the Premier League and it didn’t happen. He was like a rabbit in the headlights.
“So wipe the slate clean and see what he does in what should be an easier division in the Championship.”
After missing the first two games of the season, Rutter has kicked on big time.
He made his Championship debut as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat to Birmingham in August before earning a spot in Daniel Farke’s starting line up.
Since then, the attacker hasn’t looked back after scoring two goals and providing two assists in the games that have followed.
“Is he showing up well in the early stages of the season? You bet,” Durham said.
“He’s getting goals, he’s helping the team and I was speaking to a Leeds fan who was at the 3-0 win over Watford and said he was outstanding – incredibly skilful, really good vision and hard working.
“Joel Piroe is in the number 10 position and Rutter is in the nine position which surprised me, but it’s working.”
More than just a goalscorer, Rutter is really getting fans onside with his blend of selfless team play and the ability to get supporters on their feet with the sort of flicks and tricks of a player who is simply brimming with confidence.
Given how low his confidence was at the end of last season, Rutter faced a big challenge to get himself fired up for a season in the second tier.
But after meeting Farke and learning of the role that he was set to play at Elland Road, Rutter has not looked back – even when the opportunity to move on presented itself.
Durham said: “It’s something really good that Farke has got going and Rutter seems to be thriving in that.
“It seems that the manager has put his arm around his shoulder and is getting the best out of his young striker.
“He cost a lot of money and that’s got to weigh heavy so I think he’s playing very well considering everything.”
Durham added: “I also want to speak about Rutter off the pitch because I think he had that clause to say that he could leave, like some of the others did, but he’s a real club ambassador and has stayed when others have left and that says a lot about the character of the man.
“The players seem to love him as well so he’s a big, big player for Leeds United if they’re going to get top six and possibly top two.”
Win promotion back to the promised land and that big price tag will seem like a bargain.
