With relegation imminent, Leeds United must make some major decisions this summer, none more important than what to do with Georginio Rutter. The 21-year-old arrived in January for a club record fee of £35 million, but has only played 235 minutes of top-flight football in four months.
Rutter had not played since the 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool, so he was demoted to U21 duties, where he offered fans a taste of what to anticipate next season. To be fair, he not only excelled, but also played a key role in the young Whites’ promotion back to Premier League 2, Division 1; he even opened the scoring against Nottingham Forest in the play-off final.
If the worst happens, Leeds has two options. Make him an important part of their lineup for next season, or sell him. If they sell him, the club can expect a large loss while still recouping a large sum of money, which would go a long way toward rebuilding a more robust Championship group capable of winning promotion at the first attempt.
West Ham advanced to the Europa Conference Cup semi-finals against AZ Alkmaar last night, thanks to Pablo Fornals’ injury-time score. It was the Hammers’ first shot at European silverware in 47 years.
The game was marred by crowd violence as Dutch hooligans known as the Alkmaar Ultras began to attack the hospitality area, which housed the East London club’s friends and relatives.
The players weren’t going to wait for a stewards inquiry to find out how dozens of hooligans, all dressed in black, wearing hoodies and balaclavas, stormed the VIP area, and made a beeline for the melee. As battle raged on, several players were seen crossing barriers to defend loved ones. At the very least, Kurt Zouma’s cat had a well-deserved rest-bite.
Leeds visit the London Stadium less than 72 hours after West Ham’s victory, and with European silverware on the line, let’s hope they field a depleted squad against the Whites.
It’s easy to suggest the Sunday game is a must-win, especially given the league standings, but would a draw be so bad? Nottingham Forest are unlikely to get anything from Arsenal, Everton are unlikely to get anything from Wolves, and Leicester City are unlikely to get anything from their trip to St James Park.
Many believe Leeds will beat Tottenham at Elland Road on the final day of the season, and that if that happens, they will have a good chance of staying up. Would you take a point now if you were offered one at West Ham?
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