adminTimur Tuterov has wasted no time making an impact since arriving at Exeter City, enjoying an impressive start to his loan spell in Devon.
The highly-rated Ukrainian forward joined the Grecians from Sunderland on January 16 on a deal running until the end of the season and was immediately included in Gary Caldwell’s matchday squad for the home clash against Stevenage the very next day.
Although he began the match on the bench, Tuterov was introduced just after the hour mark and capped a dream debut by scoring in the 98th minute of a dominant 3–0 victory. His late strike sent St James Park into raptures, symbolising a dramatic shift in mood among supporters who have gone from fearing relegation to daring to dream of a play-off push.
Exeter, now sitting 11th in League One, remain unbeaten since Tuterov’s arrival, recording two wins followed by a midweek draw away at Reading. Aside from an expected FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, Caldwell’s side have not tasted defeat since Boxing Day, when they narrowly lost 1–0 to league leaders Cardiff City in South Wales.
In total, City have been beaten just twice in their last ten League One fixtures, collecting six victories since their December 9 win over AFC Wimbledon at St James Park. Despite ongoing financial constraints off the pitch, life on it is flourishing, and Tuterov has quickly become a key part of that resurgence.
The 20-year-old followed up his debut goal with another in his second appearance, scoring off the bench in a 3–1 away win against bottom-of-the-table Port Vale. Introduced in the 55th minute, Tuterov made it 3–0 just four minutes later, a contribution that proved crucial as Vale pulled one back and threatened a nervy finale.
True to his word, the Ukraine youth international has showcased his pace and attacking instincts, with both of his goals arriving from low crosses by Jack Aitchison to the far post, where Tuterov has shown excellent movement to finish from close range.
Although he didn’t find the net in Tuesday night’s draw, he produced a moment of real quality that could have won Exeter the match. Deep into stoppage time, he flicked the ball past Ryan Nyambe on the halfway line during a rapid counter-attack and burst into space, only to be cynically brought down with over 40 yards still to run. Nyambe was booked, but the move underlined Tuterov’s threat and composure.
That clever flick was another reminder of Tuterov’s considerable potential and hinted at the Premier League quality Sunderland believe he possesses. He has already appeared on the Black Cats’ bench four times this season and earned promotion to the senior squad during a period of AFCON absences.
While he is still awaiting his Premier League debut, simply reaching that stage is an achievement many professionals never manage. This loan spell at Exeter represents a significant step in his development, having previously been limited to Sunderland’s Under-21 side.
With nine goals in 13 games at youth level this season and two goals in just 96 minutes of EFL football so far, Tuterov is rapidly building a case as a future first-team option. If his progress continues, Sunderland may well have an exciting, pacey attacker ready to make the leap in the coming seasons.
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