Leeds United have signed French forward Georginio Rutter from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim for a club record fee, the Premier League club said on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Frenchman completed a five-and-a-half-year transfer deal. Financial details were not disclosed by Leeds but British media reported it was for a fee rising to £35 million ($42.8 million).
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Leeds' previous transfer record was the reported £30 million fee paid to Valencia for the signing of Spanish forward Rodrigo in the summer of 2020.
🎙 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼: "I'm very excited" pic.twitter.com/rDbNrvf85L
— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 14, 2023
Rutter scored 11 goals in 64 appearances for the Bundesliga club after joining from Stade Rennais in 2021.
"Georginio is a good character and has enormous talent. No coach in the world likes to lose a player like him. But of course, I wish him all the best for his future," Hoffenheim head coach Andre Breitenreiter said.
Leeds, who sit 14th in the Premier League with 17 points from 18 games, said that Rutter could make his debut against Brentford on Jan. 22.