Leeds United: Will Joe Rodon sign permanently for Leeds?

National World - LocalTV

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00:00 But firstly, if we focus on a couple of individual players,

00:03 firstly looking going towards defence and Joe Rodon, of course, a Welsh

00:08 international, and looking actually at his future, because of course

00:12 you've mentioned in a lot of these episodes this season, Lee, that he's

00:15 alongside Ethan Ampadu at times has been like a Welsh brick wall

00:19 at the back for Leeds, and so is it essential that Leeds get him tied

00:24 down as soon as possible? Yeah, definitely. He's got to be one of

00:28 the first people to look to sign 100%, and that's whether or not they go up

00:31 or not, really. Now, obviously, if they don't go up, that'll be up to Joe

00:34 Rodon, really, whether or not he thinks he can have another

00:37 season back in the Premier League, etc. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that,

00:40 because he can have a Premier League season with Leeds. But you've got to

00:42 remember, and it's very easy to forget, that he is ultimately just a lone

00:47 player. One lone from Tottenham, he's Tottenham Hotspur's player. So the

00:50 first thing you've got to say is, well, can you see him going back there and

00:52 getting in? And the vibes you get from the journalists and stuff and

00:55 people that cover the club at Tottenham is, no, that it basically looks like a

00:58 done deal that he's going to leave the club. And if he is going to leave the

01:02 club, then I don't think there's anywhere, you know, like it's just a no-brainer.

01:05 Surely, it'll go to Leeds. The only thing that will complicate matters, I

01:07 suspect, or I hope not, but could complicate matters, is if other clubs

01:11 come in for him as well, because ultimately, money talks, you know? And

01:14 then if it becomes like other clubs are interested and it becomes a bidding

01:18 war, etc., etc., then that's obviously where complications can arise. But

01:22 surely, I mean, he's a perfect fit for Leeds. I think various people have

01:25 said that he just seems to get the club, you know? Like when he speaks in his

01:27 interviews, he just feels like a Leeds player. And I know he is, but not

01:31 alone. He feels like he's already part of the furniture there, you know? And

01:34 we don't need to talk about his performances. He's been absolutely

01:36 fantastic and stuff. I mean, I just look for him. I think it's the last 34

01:40 games that he's played every single minute of, you know, which is amazing,

01:43 really. It's like he's just becoming a virtual ever-present. It's only the

01:45 start of the season, really, where he missed out the odd little bit and part

01:48 of that was through injury. I don't know what he's going to cost. I mean,

01:52 he's still fairly young at 26. For a centre-back, obviously, he's got stacks

01:55 of international experience of Wales. So I don't suspect he'll be particularly

01:59 cheap. You know, like, I mean, we're going to be talking, I don't know, 10,

02:02 15, 20 million, are we? Something like that. I don't know. I suspect towards

02:06 the higher, upper regions of that, I would think. But 100% worth it. And he's

02:11 like the sort of player that, quite simply, you need to build your defence

02:15 around, which is what they are doing and what they have done. I mean, quite

02:18 what will happen if Leeds can sign him permanently and you've got him and

02:21 then you've got Pascal Stroik, obviously, to come back. I mean, Ampadu has been

02:23 playing as a centre-back. I don't know. They'd probably have to maybe strengthen

02:26 the defence more in the Premier League because he needs to be rock solid. But

02:30 he's someone, I think, who could do it at either level. Obviously, it'd be a lot

02:33 harder in the Premier League. But, I mean, the Championship, definitely, at the

02:35 moment, he's certainly standing out and also looks like a leader. You know,

02:38 someone you could see being a captain in times. One thing, I think, if you're

02:42 being critical, that he could do more of, or certainly do because he hasn't

02:46 done it all yet, is score. Because he's a big, big lad, obviously, and gets

02:49 forward for set pieces. And he's the sort of guy that really should be chipping

02:53 in with a few goals each season from set pieces. But that's no sort of slight

02:58 just on Joe Roden because that goes for Leeds as a whole. You know, like, they're

03:01 just not very good at set pieces. I mean, obviously, Grua scored the direct

03:05 free kick. But from corners and stuff like that, they need to offer more of a

03:08 threat. He's gone close a few times with headers and stuff. And you can sort of

03:10 see the anguish when he just misses. You know, I think it's only a matter of time

03:13 before he does get one and hopefully gets a few more, assuming he ends up a

03:16 Leeds player for the long term. But yeah, I mean, he's been absolutely fantastic

03:20 this season. I said about Woodgate before, reminding me of him. That's very

03:24 true. I think he does. He does remind me of a Woodgate. It's a lot of Ben White

03:27 sort of, Mark too, you know, like a very similar sort of scenario in how good Ben

03:31 White was when he was on a season-long loan. Obviously, Leeds then made him their

03:36 number one target and didn't get him. And you hope that that won't be the case

03:40 again this summer because I'm certain, you know, they'll have to look all over

03:43 the pitch, obviously, in terms of strengthening. But depending on,

03:46 obviously, what division they are in terms of quite what they get and the

03:48 quality and how much they can spend. But either way, there's no way you can't look

03:53 at him as one of the number one priorities. I mean, he just looks like a

03:56 fantastic player who's been a brilliant signing. And hopefully, Leeds can get him

03:59 on a long-term deal because that's what everybody would definitely want.

04:03 Fantastic player.

04:05 Yes. I mean, going from what you said earlier, I can't see where he would fit

04:10 back in at Tottenham, to be honest, given the fact that he's built that

04:12 relationship at Leeds now and given Tottenham, of course, Antropos de Coglio's

04:16 really trying to create these foundations at the club. Obviously, he

04:20 criticised the club a lot after the Manchester City loss in midweek. So, I

04:23 think he probably wants his own sort of way about things. And given that

04:26 Rodon's not been there for large parts of that, you can't really see him getting

04:30 back in too well.

04:31 I just think, as I said, the only danger really with it, Daniel, is his other

04:35 clubs coming in. That's the only thing I could see as a potential complication.

04:39 And I wouldn't be surprised if that happened because we can sit here and

04:43 fans can sit here and rave about him and how good he's been, etc, etc. But if we

04:47 can do that, then so can other clubs. And that's always the thing, isn't it?

04:50 If you shine for your team, whether it's your team or your loan side, then

04:54 ultimately, everybody's looking at you and that creates interest. So, that's

04:57 the only thing I could see if somebody else was... Especially if Leeds didn't

05:01 go up and it was someone in the Premier League who fancied a punt, then it

05:04 becomes very difficult because then, obviously, he's got a choice of do I

05:06 go to a club where it's felt like home and have fitted in or do I make a move

05:11 for a Premier League team? But hopefully, it won't come to that. Hopefully,

05:14 Leeds will be in the Premier League. And to be honest, even if they're not, I

05:17 wouldn't rule out them getting him anyway because, as you say, it just seems

05:19 a natural fit. And obviously, with his teammates there as well and stuff, it

05:23 just all makes sense, doesn't it? So, fingers crossed, that's what happens.

05:26 Indeed, yes.

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