Georginio Rutter has explained how Premier League life at Brighton & Hove Albion is different to how it was at Leeds United.
Leeds forked out a club-record fee to sign Rutter from Hoffenheim in January 2023 and it initially appeared as if he would not make the grade.
The forward struggled for minutes and was almost completely discarded in the dying embers of the 2022/23 season, when Sam Allardyce took the reins.
Relegation to the Championship gave Rutter a new lease of life and his exploits persuaded Brighton to activate his £40m release clause.
Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, Rutter said: “The manager, all of the staff and all of the players know there is a bit of adaptation. It was a warm welcome when I came. When I was with Leeds, the Premier League was different.
“I didn’t play a lot and it maybe wasn’t a good moment for me. Now it’s different. I want to enjoy my football and I think with confidence, I can play better. We have a good team and good atmosphere.”
After stepping off the bench against Manchester United and Arsenal, Rutter was given his first Brighton start against Ipswich Town at the weekend.
He said: “It was important for my confidence to start, I enjoyed it. We are disappointed with the game, but we are still unbeaten and we have to take the positives.
“I’m very happy. I enjoyed playing more [in front of the home crowd]. I know people speak about the price, but I just try to forget about the price and enjoy my football.”
