A surprising twist has emerged in Leeds United‘s bid to sign Joe Rodon on a permanent basis after it was revealed that Jose Mourinho has identified the defender as a transfer target.
The 26-year-old joined the Whites on a season-long deal from Tottenham Hotspur last summer hoping to reignite his career. His move to North London from Swansea City in 2020 proved to be a disaster, where he made just 24 appearances in all competitions.
He spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at French outfit Stade Rennais, but an array of injury problems limited his spell to just 22 outings. However, Elland Road has provided the Welsh international with the tools showcase his obvious talents.
Rodon became a staple of Daniel Farke’s back line which conceded just 43 goals in 46 Championship games, a figure bettered only by champions Leicester City. Heartbreak struck in the play-off final though when Southampton secured a spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium.
Despite that, all signs pointed to a permanent transfer to Yorkshire, with reports emerging earlier this week that Spurs may even use the centre-back as bait in their pursuit of Archie Gray. It now seems as though Leeds face a fight to secure his signature though, with Fenerbahce keen on the player.
The Turkish giants have recently announced Jose Mourinho as their new manager as they look to end their 10-year wait for a league title. They have finished runners-up in each of the last three seasons, although they will wonder how they failed to triumph this year after amassing a stunning 99 points. The championship was eventually secured by Galatasaray, who finished three points better off.
It was Mourinho who brought Rodon to Tottenham four years ago and according to Football.London, via Leeds Live, he could be keen on a reunion.
Spurs exercised the right to extend the former Cheltenham Town loanee’s contract by an additional year this week but is still expected to depart this summer. Previous reports have claimed that a fee of between £10-15 million would be enough to secure his signature.
Writer’s View
It’s an easy link to make and one that probably has no basis behind it. Mourinho thought enough of Rodon to bring him to the capital in 2020 and has gone on record in the past on how much he thinks of the player.
It’s difficult to see him making another risky move at what could be his peak years. He has been accepted at Leeds under Daniel Farke and knows that he will attain regular playing time with the Championship club. Furthermore, it could potentially give him another shot in the Premier League further down the line, with the Whites one of the favourites to secure promotion next season.
Head of Writing
