Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler says Georginio Rutter can “make the difference” to his side after adapting to the Premier League.
The French No 10 scored his sixth goal in eight games across all competitions in today’s 4-0 win at rock-bottom Southampton.
Brighton paid £40million ($50.5m) to sign Rutter from Championship side Leeds United last summer, which is at least £10m more than they have spent on any other player.
“He has proved to us that he can really work hard and that he’s a player that can make the difference,” Hurzeler told The Athletic following his side’s comfortable victory at St Mary’s Stadium. “He needed a little bit of time to adapt to the Premier League, to adapt to the intensity.
“Also, his body needed a little bit of time, but now he is in impressive form. He understands the game more and more, understands his value, how he can use his body against his opponent, and therefore I’m quite happy that he’s in our team, that he builds the connections and the relationships to his team-mates.
“About the number (£40m)? It’s nothing that I can really judge or influence, I try to focus on improving every player. That’s my job.”
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Rutter’s rich vein of scoring form contrasts with two goals and two assists in his first 19 appearances for the club. “He is starting to hit the target,” Hurzeler added. “We work hard on these things, he works hard on these things. He understands it’s not only about making assists, it’s how I can be more dangerous for the opponent, how I can increase my potential inside the opponent’s box with positioning and movement. Because, in the end, every player wants to score goals.”
Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood were also on the score sheet in a third victory in succession for Hurzeler’s side in the FA Cup and the Premier League since losing 7-0 at Nottingham Forest. They have moved up three places to eighth in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth who visit the Amex Stadium on Tuesday. Brighton then go to Newcastle in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
