Rodrigo up top alongside Georginio Rutter in a 4-4-2. The French striker has been here before and knows how this partnership works, knitted together by the Spain international’s lightning pace.
Any rudimentary research of Leeds United’s current record signing will have already told you he has never played with the club’s previous record signing, of course. Rutter has seen it in action on his television though.
The 20-year-old sat down with the assembled press at Leeds for the first time on Friday afternoon. During his half an hour with broadcast, print and online media he admitted Rodrigo had been a star of his on his PlayStation games console.
READ MORE: Georginio Rutter opens up on Leeds United pricetag as he outlines immediate Elland Road goal
United’s 22/23 hotshot and number nine Patrick Bamford are going to be names Rutter quickly gets used to working with. He has already seen just how adored they are by the Whites faithful.
“I’ll answer about now,” he said, when asked about the pair. “I could see, the other night, how the fans appreciate both Patrick and Rodrigo. From before, I used to actually play on the PlayStation with Rodrigo in my team.
He added: “He’s particularly fast on PlayStation. I played up front with him in a 4-4-2.”
A 4-4-2 is not something we have seen from Jesse Marsch yet, but don’t rule anything out as the American tries to find a winning formula with this Whites outfit. Rutter is keen to play and wants to repay the immense confidence the club has shown in him with the transfer fee doled out to Hoffenheim, but without being pushy or presumptuous.
A record fee does not guarantee the new number 24 starts. Rutter is well aware he has to earn them and that attitude is laced through his answers.
The France under-21 international, ably assisted by interpreter Phil Dickinson (he of Marcelo Bielsa’s Elland Road unveiling fame), came across as humble, happy and polite without an ounce of ego. Rutter would gaze around the room, hold eye contact and considerately put together the best answer he could given the language barrier.
It was plain to see why Leeds and Marsch have highlighted his attitude and personality as a major attraction when they were scouting him. It’s clear to see why Illan Meslier is so close to him too.
“Let’s hope we can continue together for a long time in the future now we’re together at Leeds United,” said Rutter “I first knew him at Lorient, my first club, as a kid.
“He was in the age group above me, but we got to know each other through being at the club at the same time. He got to know my parents as well and then a few years later we met up again in the French national team.”
Rutter considers the goalkeeper a big brother and that relationship is bound to be key in ensuring the striker settles into life at Elland Road. There remains one major hurdle before he can really set about his work, however.
His initiation. Many of you will have seen videos of footballers, often standing on chairs in hotel function rooms, singing to their teammates in the ultimate icebreaker before going into battle together.
You would imagine it’s coming on Saturday night as the team beds down in Leeds together before Sunday’s Brentford game and what’s expected to be Rutter’s first squad selection. There may not have been any singing yet, but that’s not to say the former Rennes man has not felt welcomed.
“I’ve not done any initiation yet, but it will be coming soon,” he said. “Everyone welcomed me really well. Everyone actually spoke French to me: ‘Bonjour, ça va?’”
There was much hilarity towards the end of the press conference as Rutter innocently shone a light on the lack of modern music knowledge in a room full of journalists on the wrong side of 30 years old.
Stromae’s Papaoutai. Have you heard of it? He’s Belgian. We hadn’t, but Rutter’s bound to knock his rendition out of the park this weekend.
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