Leeds United boss reveals early Chelsea team news hint with Georginio Rutter ‘best position’ claim

Rutter joined at the beginning of this year in a club-record transfer from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. The Whites’ £28 million acquisition is yet to find the net in Leeds colours, but came agonisingly close in midweek during his new side’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat by Fulham.

At 20 years of age, there is plenty of room for the young forward to develop his game, but after working with new head coach Javi Gracia for just one week, the Spaniard believes he has identified Rutter’s ‘best position’.

During Thursday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the visit to Chelsea, Gracia said: “It's an option [to start Rutter and Bamford]. Some of you asked me about it after the [Fulham] game and it's a real option to play with two players up front. In this case, in the last game I'm happy with the play of Georginio.

"I think it's a good option for us to play with two up front, with Georginio with Patrick, Patrick with Rodrigo, with Aaronson, with all the attackers we have in the club,” he added.

It follows something Gracia said in the immediate aftermath of the Whites’ cup exit on Tuesday night, in which he shared his opinion of Rutter’s ‘best position’.

“I think he’s one option. I think he can play better as a second forward or play with two [up front], in my opinion that’s the best position for Georginio,” Gracia said.

Whether Gracia had seen plenty of Rutter prior to his Leeds arrival is unknown, but the head coach has been out of work since last summer and likely spectated several matches across Europe during his eight-month break from management.

Considering Gracia’s tendency to avoid discussing individual players during press conferences early in his Leeds tenure, the 52-year-old’s comments relating to Rutter suggest he feels strongly about the assertions made, and envisages utilising the ex-Rennes man in a front two alongside Patrick Bamford or Rodrigo. Gracia adopted a similar setup with his Watford side between 2018 and 2019, where Gerard Deulofeu supported more conventional centre-forward Troy Deeney in attack.