Antonio Conte could make one of his first major mistakes at Tottenham Hotspur after an intriguing claim emerged this week…
What’s the word?
According to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, Spurs centre-back Joe Rodon is believed to be growing frustrated by his lack of game time, having failed to break into the starting lineup under any of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Santo or the recently-appointed Italian.
And as a result of his lack of minutes, he is one player who could look to depart Hotspur Way in January.
“Rodon has played more times for Wales than for Spurs and he is believed to be growing frustrated with his lack of game time,” he claimed in a recent Q&A with supporters.
“The centre-back is understood to be open to a loan move in January in order to get time on the pitch but much could depend on whether Spurs bring in a new centre-back, particularly if Cristian Romero’s injury proves to be serious.”
Since then, the reliable journalist has revealed that top-flight rivals are huge fans of the Wales international. “I think Brighton like him a lot. Whether Brighton look to bring him in, I think four, five months at a team like Brighton, or any team – I’d say he needs Premier League now – would be big,” he added, via his YouTube channel.
Conte catastrophe
This would be quite an error from Conte, who as Gold also states, has only started Rodon twice – the second of which saw him last just 54 minutes on the pitch before being replaced.
The 6 foot 4 colossus has never put a foot wrong since joining in an £11m deal from Swansea City over a year ago.
“You look at Rio Ferdinand and John Terry and there are elements of both in Rodon’s game,” once claimed Sky Sports pundit Andy Hinchcliffe, whilst he led the squad for interceptions per 90 minutes (2.6) last season and had the best passing accuracy bar Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, too.
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That skill set should make him a seamless fit for Conte’s system as he’s evidently a trustworthy ball-playing option, especially one that plays regularly for his country.
Furthermore, the 52-year-old is without key summer signing Cristian Romero for an indefinite amount of time, so who knows when the Argentina international will return.
Another injury to his back-three could seriously harm the squad, even more so if Rodon is allowed to leave in January when in reality, he has the merits to be starting every week.
Earlier in the year, the 24-year-old defender was dubbed “flawless” and a “special player” for his Wales displays by journalist Ian Mitchelmore, and it’s surely a case of getting him to that standard in the Premier League.
Both Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez, who are likely to start, were part of Spurs’ defensive problems last season and Conte has even opted for full-back Ben Davies in the middle too.
It just does not make sense to offload the £18m-rated Rodon in January and doing so could hand the former Chelsea boss his first grave mistake in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dugout.
AND in other news, Spurs unlikely to land key transfer target liked by Conte in January…