‘Fantastic mentality’: Tottenham star says Gareth Bale has been raving about £11m Spurs player

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Eric Dier has named the one Tottenham Hotspur player who Gareth Bale has been speaking very highly about, in an interview with Football London.

The Englishman is one of the first names on the team sheet alongside Toby Alderweireld in the heart of Spurs’ defence. But the Belgian suffered a hamstring injury and he is expected to miss a few games as a result.

Dier will now have to partner someone else. Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga are possible options, but Tottenham fans have been urging Jose Mourinho to use £11 million (BBC) summer signing Joe Rodon.

The young Welsh defender has barely had 10 minutes of action in a Spurs shirt so far. He is yet to start a game for the club and, since he is not in Tottenham’s Europa League squad, he will have to wait until Sunday to get a chance.

Dier was asked about how Rodon has fared in training and the Englishman has noticed a few good qualities in him. He also revealed that Ben Davies and Bale have been speaking very highly about the former Swansea man since his arrival.

He said: “It’s difficult as we haven’t really spent a lot of time together since he arrived. From what I can see, he’s very humble, very hard-working. From what I can see he has a fantastic mentality to want to work, to improve.

“From what I’ve seen [of him] around the training ground, all of those things have been fantastic, and I know the Welsh boys Ben and Gareth speak very highly of him. So excited for him to be able to help the team.”

Rodon would love to get a start in the Premier League, but Mourinho has always preferred experience to youth, especially in big games. Spurs travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on Sunday, and Mourinho would love nothing more than to get one over his former club.

The Tottenham boss would probably prefer a defender like Sanchez who has played in big games before. However, it is not beyond Mourinho to surprise a few by playing Rodon, just like he started Tanganga against a dominant Liverpool side last season.