Rutter sale confirmed but Leeds given hope of uplifting double deal ...

Leeds United are being linked with a fresh double attacking deal to compensate for the crushing loss of Georginio Rutter to Brighton as chairman Paraag Marathe and Co look to keep the Whites’ promotion dream on track.

The Whites have endured a sobering 24 hours and indeed an entire summer window in general having missed out on promotion both automatically and in the play-off final last season. In the immediate aftermath of that defeat, Marathe admitted Leeds United would likely need to consider sales to compensate for the failure to return to the Premier League, though promised at the time that plans were in place to ensure the club remained competitive and in with a chance of securing their place back among the elite at the second time of asking.

While the exit of Crysencio Summerville was very much expected, his sale to West Ham worth up to £35m in add-ons, the loss of Archie Gray cut deep, with the £40m departure of the teenager talent hitting the fanbase hard.

However, following a difficult start to the season, that has seen the club ship six goals in two games and crash out of the EFL Cup at the first-round stage for only the second time in their history, things have gone from bad to worse for Leeds after a £40m deal for Rutter was triggered by Brighton.

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The clause, inserted in his deal and active as a result of the failure to secure promotion, was triggered with just hours to spare by the Seagulls with the deadline for the release expiring at midnight on August 14.

The French forward – Leeds’ record signing at a fee that potentially rising to £35m – has now said his goodbyes to Leeds’ players and staff ahead of a move to the AMEX.

And while Daniel Farke insisted in a press conference on Thursday afternoon that nothing is confirmed as of yet, Leeds now expect the transfer to go through and is likely to be confirmed “in the next 24 to 48 hours”.

As a result of the exit of yet another star man, Leeds are in serious danger of seeing the promotion wheels come off from the get-go and they now face a high-pressure game at West Brom on Saturday lunchtime to prove that they remain united and that they are indeed candidates to achieve their objectives this season. A loss at the Hawthorns would leave them with a solitary point from their opening two games.

With the window due to close in just over a fortnight’s time, Leeds United owners 49ers Enterprises are also now under serious pressure to deliver new signings with their squad already seen as painfully thin and the sale of Rutter set to exacerbate that situation further.

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One man they had been linked with but had appeared to slip the net was Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. The Whites had seen a £15m offer for the Palace man rejected by the Eagles, though the south-east London side have been open to his exit on a loan basis only.

Leeds’ opposition to a loan deal opened the door for a tenporary switch to Sheffield United and the winger was in attendance for their Carabao Cup clash agaist Wrexham at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

However, journalist Alan Nixon claims a last-gasp hitch in the negotiations have opened the door for Leeds to resurrect a possible deal. And if they re-consider a possible loan swoop, that deal could indeed be back on the cards for Farke’s side in what would be a timely lift.

At the same time, Leeds have also been left with a glorious opportunity to push through the signing of top summer target Jonathan Rowe.

The capture of the Norwich man will surely become a more pressing need following news of Rutter’s exit, with the Norwich also an excellent dribbler and ball carrier and one of those rare players who can replicate what the Frenchman has done at Leeds.

The Whites are yet to launch an official offer for Rowe, but TEAMtalk revealed earlier this week that an offer is expected to be forthcoming by the 49ers as they look to bring the England Under-21 international to West Yorkshire.

Norwich value the player, who has just a year left on his deal at Carrow Road, though with the option of another season, at a minimum of £15m.

Marseille are Leeds’ main rivals for the player and saw an opening offer fall short worth €12m (£10.3m). The French side have since followed up with a second offer, thought to be a season’s loan worth €2m (£1.7m) now and with a view to a permanent €14m (£12m) move next summer – making it worth a total £13.7m.

The Canaries, though, have again knocked that back, gifting Leeds with a great opportunity to pounce for the 21-year-old themselves.

And with OM now ready to walk away from the deal, Leeds can put themselves in the driving seat and seriously test Norwich’s determination to hang on to the player by launching a firm offer themselves for his signature.

TEAMtalk understands that Leeds are willing to launch an opening bid that tops Marseille’s offer and comes closer to the Canaries valuation as they look to land Rowe and bounce back from the immediate disappointment of losing Rutter.

Leeds have also looked at Stoke’s Million Manhoef as a possible Plan B if their quest for Rowe fails to bear fruit.

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