Leeds United to benefit from pioneering training ground tactics screen after £28m transfer reveal

Rutter went head-to-head with Marsch’s RB Leipzig during the early part of last season, before the American was relieved of his duties at the Red Bull club, and claims he is tactically aware of the Leeds head coach’s preferred style of play. Speaking to journalists for the first time on Friday afternoon, Rutter – via the help of a translator – reassured supporters that his adaptation to Marsch’s football should be a smooth transition due to his prior experience and tactical understanding.

The 20-year-old French forward was signed from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim last week in an initial £28 million move, which could rise to £35 million if performance-related add-ons are met during his spell at Elland Road. Rutter spent two years at the German club, where revered young coach Julian Nagelsmann – currently of Bayern Munich – established himself as a head coach between 2016 and 2019.

During Nagelsmann’s time in Sinsheim, he introduced a 6x3-metre screen on the halfway line of their training ground’s main pitch – known as the ‘Videowall’ - that allowed staff to provide live feedback during sessions. The training ground installation has remained at Hoffenheim, despite Nagelsmann’s departure, where he has proven to be a success at subsequent jobs with RB Leipzig and perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern.

"I had a kind of basic idea of how he played because I've played against him when he was with Leipzig,” Rutter said at his Leeds unveiling. “So, I know fundamentally there's a lot of pressing from the front.

"In terms of style, and what I learned in Hoffenheim, I learned the German style of play, the way the game is played in Germany. And again, there's a lot of pressing there as well. So I would say I was fortunate enough to encounter my current coach there as well. So, it gave me a bit of an inkling as to how he plays and how he sets up here as well,” Rutter added.

"When you coach players that have been in Germany, there's a real high level of tactical education,” Marsch said following Rutter’s signing last week. “I sat down with Georginio yesterday and we talked a lot about what we tried to do and our playing model and what our philosophies are and what our strategies [are] and vocabulary and he already was very up to speed and understands most of it.

"It was a really intelligent football conversation and one that gives me real hope that he can acclimate quickly,” Marsch said.

As it turns out, Marsch may be grateful, indirectly, to the man he replaced. Nagelsmann took over at Bayern in 2021, after a two-year spell with Leipzig in which he helped establish the Red Bull-backed club as a competitor in major European competition. Marsch was then chosen as the young coach’s successor due to his progress with Red Bull’s Austrian side in Salzburg, but would only last a couple of months before arriving at Elland Road almost a year ago.