He may have been on the losing side against former club, Tottenham, on Saturday, but in Joe Rodon, Leeds United have a player perfectly equipped to thrive in the Premier League and proving exactly why Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany identified the star as a player of interest.<\/p>\n
Rodon<\/a> made the permanent move to Elland Road in summer 2024, determined to see through the job of securing Leeds United<\/a>\u2018s return to the Premier League after a desperately unfortunate two-fold near miss in the 2023\/24 campaign. After being used sparingly at Tottenham, the 27-year-old defender found a home in West Yorkshire, having racked up 98 appearances across his first two seasons under Daniel Farke.<\/p>\n Having shone on Leeds\u2019 way back to the promised land last season, Rodon has taken his game on to another level this season and has been a model of consistency in the heart of defence. While the Whites have collected a satisfactory return of eight points from their opening seven games, Rodon has adjusted well to the step up in quality, showing warrior-like spirit and more than up to backing up his determination with his very obvious qualities.<\/p>\n Costing \u00a310m to make the move from Spurs permanent just 16 months ago, it\u2019s fair to say Leeds now have a player on their hands worth at least three times that amount on the modern market \u2013 not that the Whites have any desire to sell!<\/p>\n Now on international duty and preparing to face arguably the world\u2019s most in-form striker right now in Harry Kane in Thursday\u2019s high-profile friendly clash with England, one man who will be keeping a close watch on the game is Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany.<\/p>\n That\u2019s after Wales coach Craig Bellamy revealed Rodon has a huge admirer in the Belgian, who tried on more than one occasion to lure him to Turf Moor while Burnley boss.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a very, very good footballer. I know I\u2019ve spoken about him on a number of occasions \u2013 no surprise. He has all the attributes that belong in the Premier League,\u201d Bellamy purred.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been a big fan of him for a number of years. I do follow Welsh players, and I\u2019ve always had a huge soft spot for Welsh players, so I\u2019ve really watched their progress.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a player I\u2019ve had my eye on. When we [myself and Vincent Kompany] were at Burnley, we wanted to bring him in. We obviously felt, and I\u2019ve always felt, he was a player ready-made for that high level. What we\u2019re seeing now is that player.\u201d<\/p>\n What else is being said about Joe Rodon?<\/strong><\/p>\n Rodon has been an ever-present for Leeds in the Premier League so far this season, racking up a maximum 630 minutes and even scoring his first goal at Premier League level in a recent 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.<\/p>\n But for the width of the post, he could have scored his second in the very next game, only to see his header from the angle cannoning back out off the post.<\/p>\n But if he keeps getting into those positions, more goals will surely come and it remains something of a mystery why he\u2019s only managed two so far in his Leeds career.<\/p>\n It\u2019s his work, though, at the other end of the pitch that has really drawn admirers, with Farke now revealing Leeds are seeing a player in his peak and reaching \u2018football maturity\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is more difficult to play at Tottenham as a relatively young centre-back,\u201d Farke said of the 54-times capped Wales star\u2019s failure to make it at Spurs when arriving from Swansea in the days of Jose Mourinho.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has matured now and grown as a player. I think he is a way better player than he was a few years ago and I think he has proven in the first few games that he can play at this level. So far so good.\u201d<\/p>\n A player in the old-school mould of centre-halves, Rodon was branded a warrior during an interview with BBC Radio Leeds\u2019 Adam Pope earlier this year.<\/p>\n In the piece, the 27-year-old revealed how he likes to show himself up the battle.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had more head knocks than I\u2019d like,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI try not to, to be honest. It does hurt. But if it happens, it happens. I guess that\u2019s part of the game: I\u2019m just used to it now.\u201d<\/p>\n Rodon\u2019s towering headers at both ends of the pitch have endeared him to the Leeds faithful and he is now taking on a leadership role at the club.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m normally quite loud on the pitch anyway, just in communicating with the team in order to try and help \u2013 to make other people\u2019s jobs easier,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThe boss can get on to me about this, to always be positive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a really competitive person. So I think frustration and emotion creeps into that. I think it\u2019s the same for a lot of players, but yeah, I\u2019m just really, really competitive. I\u2019m a competitive problem.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t mean that in a negative way. It\u2019s more of a kind of a pick-me-up to work harder and do more.\u201d<\/p>\n Leeds can expect to see more of that as the season unfolds, and the club will hope Rodon continues to improve and play a leading role in their quest to establish themselves back in the top flight.<\/p>\n Next up, though, Kane and England\u2026.<\/p>\n Leeds latest: Whites recruitment hailed; Brazilian gem wanted<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile,\u00a0Leeds have been told they have given themselves a genuine shot at Premier League survival this season after being heralded for four key strategies that were identified from their summer transfer targets<\/a> \u2013 while Gary Neville has also shared why he is \u201cdesperate\u201d for the Whites to avoid relegation back to the Championship.<\/p>\n Elsewhere,\u00a0sources can confirm that\u00a0Leeds United are considering a move for an exciting Brazilian winger<\/a>, though we can reveal that they face competition from a Premier League rival for his signature.<\/p>\n