Angus Kinnear has revealed that Joe Rodon was “desperate” to return to Leeds United after a one-year loan spell last season.
Rodon has been one of Leeds’ best players in recent times and has been one of the reasons why the Whites’ defense has been so strong.
The Welshman has chosen the West Yorkshire side as the next step in his career, although he has been linked with Premier League sides such as Ipswich and Leicester,
Speaking on The Square Ball Podcast (September 12), Kinnear admitted it was no mistake and the defender had already indicated his desire to stay at Elland Road six months before the end of the campaign.
“When you get a player like Joe Rodon who, after Christmas last year or this spring when we did the gear shoot, insisted on getting the gear shot for next season, it’s obviously a disaster for the retail team because if I didn’t sign him, all the pictures would be dead, Kinnear said.
“Joe was desperate to be here and before we spoke to Tottenham Hotspur or his agent he was gone for six months which showed his desire to be at the club and that’s really important.”
Joe Rodon’s arrival at Leeds United was a good move for both parties
Leeds have had a major overhaul of their squad for the 2024/25 season and while they clearly didn’t want to lose the likes of Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville to the Premier League, they could do better.
Gray’s sale rocked the Leeds fanbase, but also gave the club an advantage in negotiations for Rodon.
The sale of both players came almost simultaneously with Rodon arriving swiftly at Elland Road a day or so after Gray’s departure.
The Welshman was undoubtedly one of Leeds’ best signings of the summer transfer window, not only helping to further strengthen their defence, but also helping to set the precedent for the rest of Leeds’ transfer window.
While the club have left deals for the likes of Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon until the embers die out, finding suitable replacements for those who have left has allowed the West Yorkshire outfit to present their goals to their fans.
It’s still early in the season, of course, but at least for now the club seems to be in a good position.