Leeds United have been working on transfer market plan Bs since January, claims Daniel Farke

Rutter made a £40m move to Brighton and Hove Albion this week, Summerville a £25m switch to West Ham United earlier in the month, but it was something Farke was wary of all year.

Almeira winger Largie Ramazzani replaced Summerville in what is understood to be a £10m deal on Thursday, but the Whites are still looking for Rutter’s successor as a player in the hole, ahead of the August 30 transfer deadline.

Such is the financial disparity between the Championship and Premier League, the best second-tier players are always vulnerable to being picked off, so as soon as Leeds lost May’s play-off final, it always seemed likely. Archie Gray also left, for Tottenham Hotspur.

"Georgie is unique in the way he plays and once he shows all his quality and all his potential, he can be an extraordinary player," said Farke, whose side are at Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on Friday.

"And of course clubs who can spend much money are after extraordinary players.

"I think it was perhaps not realistic four or five months ago to think about this, but even from January I urged everyone in our scouting department and everyone who is working on this to be prepared for scenarios that we have perhaps to play without Georginio Rutter, without Cree Summerville.

"But one thing is to work on this and the other thing is to bring it over the line and this is more or less what we have to do in the next days."