The Whites magician could miss the club’s next clash with Watford through injury.
Leeds United’s 2-0 victory over Millwall at Elland Road on Sunday cemented their position atop the Championship table.
The Whites jumped their rivals at the top by taking advantage of Leicester City’s absence from the second division following their FA Cup loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The goals from Wilfried Gnonto and Dan James, both just before halftime, sealed the victory for the Yorkshire team, placing them atop the standings heading into the international break.
Currently vying for automatic promotion to the Premier League, Daniel Farke’s team hopes to return to the top division at the first attempt.
Georginio Rutter has been a vital player for the Whites at the top of the pitch; he assisted both of the goals against Millwall, but he might not be available after the international break.
Latest Leeds United injury news
Shortly after Sunday’s victory, Leeds put out a statement to confirm that the France U21 international would not be linking up with his country this week.
The offensive midfielder will stay in England to have surgery for a hernia issue, even though he was scheduled to play for Les Bleus during the international break.
According to their statement, the former Hoffenheim player has been playing through a hernia problem lately, which they have had to treat cautiously. However, this break has given them the chance to resolve the issue.
To address the problem, Rutter will now have a “small surgery,” and it has been revealed that the excellent attacker will be able to resume activity 10 days following the procedure.
The news was confirmed on Monday and, assuming the surgery took place on the same day, the French gem would be back in training on Wednesday or Thursday next week.
That could throw his involvement in their clash with Watford in doubt as Leeds travel to face the Hornets on Friday next week, which may come too soon for him.
The Spanish-born striker scorched 17 goals in 24 games for the U21s in the 2022–2023 season, including 16 goals in 21 Premier League 2 appearances.
Despite being a member of Farke’s first team this season, the five-foot-eleven striker has only made 13 substitute appearances in the Championship, recording 0 goals and 0 assists in that time.
His performance in the FA Cup against Chelsea, after being named as a starter against the Premier League side at Stamford Bridge, proved that he does have the ability to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch at senior level.
