Newcastle United will host Brighton and Hove Albion at St. James’ Park next Saturday.
Brighton will be closely monitoring the condition of their record signing, Georginio Rutter, before their trip to Newcastle United, as the forward recently withdrew from international duty with France’s under-21s.
Rutter has quickly become a key figure in Brighton’s attack since his £40 million move from Leeds United in August. The 22-year-old has scored in each of his last two matches, playing a crucial role in Brighton’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in their previous match.
However, after heading into international duty in high spirits, Rutter returned earlier than expected due to an injury. The severity of the injury is still unknown, but with the match against Newcastle approaching, the in-form French forward’s availability is now uncertain.
The French FA issued a statement saying, “The staff of the French Espoirs team announced on Wednesday that Georginio Rutter has withdrawn due to injury. The Brighton & Hove Albion (English Premier League) striker will not be able to take part in the Bleuets’ next two matches in Cyprus (Friday, October 11, 6:30 p.m.) and against Austria (Tuesday, October 15 in Nancy, 6:30 p.m.), as part of the Euro U21 2025 qualifiers.”
Rutter’s absence would be a significant setback for Brighton, especially since the team has been relying on his creativity in recent games. Their previous record signing, Joao Pedro, has been out since before the September international break, while summer signing Matt O’Riley, bought for £25 million, is sidelined for a longer period.
Despite this, Brighton has depth in their attacking options, with Yankuba Minteh expected to feature against his former club. Still, Rutter had become a central figure in their attack, and if he remains unavailable, his absence will be felt. Manager Fabian Hurzeler is aware of the challenge of filling the gap left by such an influential player.
Hurzeler expressed his confidence in Rutter over the summer, saying, “I am convinced he will help us on the pitch by his attitude working against the ball, by his quality in possession. He has something special, and I’ve followed his progress since his time at Hoffenheim. He will be a big, big player for Brighton, and I’m happy he’s here in the squad.”
Further updates on Rutter’s injury status, as well as other squad fitness concerns, are expected from Hurzeler before Saturday’s match at St. James’ Park. Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is also set to address his team’s injury situation, including concerns over Alexander Isak, with Kieran Trippier likely to miss the match.
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