Brighton’s record signing is looking like money well spent as Georginio Rutter shines again but Southampton are sinking fast after another ‘disaster’ of a display, writes KIERAN GILL
Brighton may be better known as a club who sell for tens of millions as opposed to spending so extravagantly, but in Georginio Rutter, their £40million record buy, they saw a risk worth taking.
For good reason, too, as Saturday’s soiree in Southampton saw their summer signing from Championship Leeds score his sixth goal in eight games to boost a European charge which few considered feasible when they were beaten 7-0 by Nottingham Forest at the beginning of February.
Rutter smashed their previous priciest purchase by £10m – Joao Pedro and Yankuba Minteh each cost £30m – and St Mary’s Stadium saw the best of the 22-year-old Frenchman here as his energy was infectious for those around him. Well, those wearing the yellow of Brighton, anyway.
Rutter scored the second of the visitors’ four goals when he bullied Joe Aribo into surrendering possession by Southampton’s box.
That high-pressed turnover allowed Minteh to set him up for 2-0 as Brighton finished the weekend sitting ninth in the Premier League.
He needed a little time to adapt to the Premier League, to adapt to the intensity,’ Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said of Rutter.
‘Also, his body needed a little time. But now he is in impressive form.
