Leeds United are currently battling it out to land an automatic promotion place back to the Premier League at the first time of asking this season. The Whites are third in the division as it stands, one point behind Leicester City and two points behind Ipswich Town, with three matches left to play.
Daniel Farke’s side will have to go through the lottery of the play-offs, where they could face his former side Norwich City, if they fail to break back into the top two.
If the Yorkshire-based outfit do earn promotion, though, then they could look to bolster their squad, and the latest update on one of their reported targets makes for happy reading for the club.
Leeds United’s chances of signing Joe Rodon
According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are set to sanction a permanent exit for Leeds loanee Joe Rodon in the upcoming summer transfer window, and will “accept (an) offer” from the 49ers Group at Elland Road.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke adds that the Whites would ‘”love” to sign the central defender on a permanent deal at the end of the season, after his loan move comes to an end. The reporter writes that Spurs are now expected to cash in on the Wales international, who they had signed from Championship side Swansea, later this year.
Football Insider adds that a fee of up to £15m could be enough to secure his services, although it remains to be seen whether or not the club are prepared to offer that for Rodon.
The towering defender shares an agency – CAA Stellar – with current Leeds teammates Patrick Bamford and Daniel James and this, along with the existing loan deal between the two sides, suggests that the Whites already have a relationship in place to negotiate a deal this summer.
Why Leeds should sign Rodon on a permanent deal
Farke has showcased his love for Rodon throughout the Championship season by consistently selecting him at the heart of the defence. The German boss has also hailed him as “excellent” and praised the centre-back’s “warrior mentality” at times, with his fantastic performances at the back for Leeds.
He has started 39 of the club’s 43 league games this term and played a crucial role in the team having the best defensive record in the division, with just 34 goals conceded.
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old titan has provided consistently impressive displays at the back, dominating opposition attackers with a 66% duel success rate.
No Leeds player has made more clearances per game than Rodon and only Ethan Ampadu (1.4) has more interceptions per match so far this season, which speaks to how important his defensive work has been since his loan switch from Spurs.
At the age of 26, the Welsh colossus may also have his best years ahead of him, as he has plenty of time to develop and improve under Farke, which means that Leeds signing him on a permanent deal could be a fantastic move in the short-term and for the future at Elland Road.
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