Leeds United choosing to bring in Georginio Rutter back in January hasn't worked out as many hoped and the Frenchman has struggled to make an impact at Elland Road since his arrival.
Former director of football Victor Orta is believed to have had a hand in the £35.5 million deal, though he was eventually axed by majority owner Andrea Radrizzani alongside Javi Gracia to make way for Sam Allardyce.
What's the latest news on Georginio Rutter?
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has said that Orta may live to regret his decision to pursue Rutter and eventually get a deal over the line.
Jones told FFC: "In hindsight the deal obviously looks very bad and there are various people you could point blame at. Maybe it was one of the decisions that could haunt Orta, but also it was a time when Leeds were under pressure to do a deal."
The 21-year-old has failed to help enrich the Whites' hopes of achieving Premier League survival and is yet to register a single goal in 12 appearances for his current employers, as per Transfermarkt.
Leeds Live report that Rutter featured for Leeds United's Under-21 side this week in a match against Nottingham Forest and got himself on the scoresheet. Journalist William Jackson described his performance during the encounter, stating: "Arguably Leeds’ most threatening player. Scored his first goal in White and would have had a couple of others if not for Forest keeper Aaron Bott."
Nevertheless, the youngster has started just three times for the first team since moving to Yorkshire from TSG Hoffenheim and has failed to deliver on his promise so far.
Pundit Micah Richards has previously questioned the logic behind Leeds United acquiring Rutter in an interview with the Monday Night Club on BBC 5 Live via Leeds United News, saying: “Rutter signed for a lot of money and he’s not even getting a kick. You sign a 21-year-old to almost stand in for or replace Bamford and he’s not played. When you talk about a plan, I do not understand what the plan was.
Surely if you are spending that sort of money, you get someone ready-made or on loan to see you out to the end of the season, then you go again. If they go to the Championship, God knows how long it will take them to get back.”
Who is to blame for how Georginio Rutter's time at Leeds United has went so far?
Ex-director of football Orta has to take his share of the blame for the Rutter transfer and also had questions to answer over his role in managerial decisions this season, which led to Gracia coming and going fairly swiftly amid a backdrop of a major loss of confidence from players inside the dressing room.
Big-money moves for the likes of Rutter and Brendan Aaronson have yet to bear fruit at Leeds United. At the same time, completing a loan swoop in January to land Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie hasn't yielded the desired effect in improving their survival prospects.
When in charge at Elland Road, as per The Yorkshire Evening Post, former manager Gracia did predict that Rutter would come good at Leeds United, as the 53-year-old explained: "I think all the new players who are coming to a new country, a new competition, all of them need time. But not especially Georgi. Georgi is working very well, he’s a good character, and I’m sure his future will be brilliant."
Journalist Phil Hay of The Athletic also claimed that the £70k-a-week ace "has elements of [Roberto] Firmino about him, he can play through the middle, operate with his back to goal, providing a focal point to make possession stick."
It is still very early in Rutter's career, where he has managed to notch 21 goals and 10 assists from 106 appearances overall, though Leeds United and Orta may wish they had opted to sign a more experienced number nine as potential relegation from the English top-flight continues to loom large at the Yorkshire outfit.
