Leeds United have been warned that £15 million is ‘just too much’ for Joe Rodon despite the on-loan defender impressing after joining from Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur.
They say you should never fall in love with a loan player. And Joe Rodon’s colossal performances since arriving from the division above may stir up feelings of deja vu, Ben White breaking Leeds hearts when he returned to Brighton after that stunning season under Marcelo Bielsa in 2019/20.
Fortunately, it appears Rodon is not valued quite so highly at Tottenham Hotspur as White was at The Amex. Leeds are likely to have a far better chance of securing the Welshman on a full-time basis, particularly if Daniel Farke can add a third Championship promotion to his enviable collection.
Tottenham loanee shining at Leeds United
Carlton Palmer, who spent three years at Leeds in the mid-1990s, believes that Spurs are unlikely to stand in Rodon’s way this summer. The problem facing Leeds, however, is not Rodon’s availability but the potential costs involved in a permanent transfer.
“Will he go back to Spurs? No he won’t,” Palmer, the former England international, tells Football League World. “£10 million to £15 million is a lot of money. So, at the end of the season, Leeds United are going to have a look at when they get promoted, see where they see it at.
“I think (Rodon should cost) about £8 million. £10 million to £15 million is just too much.
“Should Leeds get promoted, then the conversation needs to be had. He can step up and play in the Premier League.”
Rodon, who joined Tottenham from Swansea City back in 2020, has played only 15 Premier League games for the club. The towering Welshman has accumulated nearly double that at Leeds, playing the full 90 minutes again as Farke’s free-scoring side hammered his old employers 4-0 at the Liberty Stadium in midweek.
Only six players in the Championship average more than Rodon’s 4.7 clearances per game, the 6ft 4ins giant an old-school, body-on-the-line throwback of a centre-half and a potential long-term successor for the long-serving Liam Cooper (WhoScored).
Daniel Farke full of praise for Joe Rodon
“Behind the scenes we’re working, there’s no doubt about this,” Farke told the Yorkshire Evening Post in January when asked about Rodon staying at Elland Road beyond the campaign. “We’re more than happy with Joe, his performances and (the way he is) developing. You see him growing more and more into a leader role.
“I think he’s happy to be here, happy to be an important part (of the squad). He was crucial to our really good performances, so we’re more than happy. We would like him to stay for a bit longer but it’s not an urgent topic.
“Joe is in our plans but he’s not our player yet. We’re a bit depending on what the other parties think about this topic. We’ll definitely try behind the scenes to do our stuff. You know how much I like and value Joe and his importance for the team.”
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