Joe Rodon spent last season on loan at Leeds United, but before his temporary stint ended, one chief noted that the defender wanted to stay long-term at Elland Road.
Rodon arrived at Tottenham Hotspur in 2020, but the center-back couldn’t find a place with Spurs during his stint. Eventually, in 2022, the Wales native left the Premier League side and went on loan to Stade Rennais.
After spending the 2022-23 season on loan with Rennes, Rodon went on loan again for the 2023-24, this time to Championship side Leeds. The 26-year-old made 50 appearances last campaign and was a vital part of the Whites’ defense.
Why Leeds decided to keep Joe Rodon permanently
This past summer transfer window, Leeds spent £10 million to keep Rodon permanently, but it was the player hinting at the club that he wanted to stay long-term at Elland Road.
“When you get a player like Joe Rodon, who after Christmas last year or in the spring when we were doing our kit shoots, insisted on being in the kit shoots for the following season’s kit, which is obviously a disaster for the retail team because if we hadn’t signed him, all the imagery would’ve been dead,” Kinnear said on The Square Ball Podcast.
“Joe was desperate to be here and before we had any discussions with Tottenham Hotspur or his agent, he was six months out, showing his desire to be at the club and that’s really important.”
Through four matches, Rodon remains a crucial figure on the backline for manager Daniel Farke, playing alongside Pascal Struijk. While Leeds lost key players like Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville, keeping Rodon was a confidence booster.
If Leeds are going to earn promotion this season, the defense will play a significant role, considering how much offensive power was lost this summer. So far, the Whites’ defense has shown they can lead the way through four matches.
Leeds have recorded clean sheets in three of the four contests, and if this is how the unit will perform, then the Whites have a shot at promotion. Rodon and the rest of the backline will attempt to keep another clean sheet when they face Burnley on Saturday.
