Swansea demanding £18 million from Tottenham for highly-rated Wales defender Joe Rodon
Swansea City want £18 million from Tottenham Hotspur for their highly-rated centre-back Joe Rodon, with the Premier League club now facing a defensive shortfall after an injury to first-team regular Eric Dier.
The extent of Dier’s hamstring injury, which ruled him out of England’s Nations League game against Denmark at Wembley, is not known but it means that a key figure in Jose Mourinho’s first-team plans is now likely to be missing for a period. Rodon, who turns 23 later this month, is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the British game and another graduate of Swansea’s academy - what was the only 'category one-rated' academy in Wales, now 'category two'.
Spurs have until 5pm on Friday, when the Football League transfer window closes, to make their move for Rodon. The Welsh club are not in a position to hold on to their highest-value assets despite a strong unbeaten start to the Championship season. It is understood Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has offered a deal of around £9m with substantial add-ons should Rodon fulfil his potential.
The ultimate decision to sell rests with Swansea’s majority American owners Jason Levien and Steven Kaplan. The first team has flourished under manager Steve Cooper, now in his second season, who has been able to recruit loan signings at the top of the English development market. The England Under-17s World Cup-winning coach has developed a style of play that has made Swansea an attractive loan destination for emerging talent.
Rodon is right-footed and has caught the eye of Premier League scouts for his ability on the ball – a quality now considered crucial for centre-backs in the higher echelons of the top leagues. A Swansea boy, he grew up close to the site of the club’s home at the Liberty Stadium. He joined the academy aged eight and was made a full Wales international by Ryan Giggs one year ago in a Nations League game against Azerbaijan. He played the full game for Wales in the away win over Bulgaria on Wednesday night.
