Defender Joe Rodon has shared a story about when he joined Tottenham Hotspur under previous manager Jose Mourinho.
Rodon was speaking on The Official Leeds United Podcast after making the move to the Championship side on loan this month.
It’s safe to say that Joe Rodon’s time at Tottenham hasn’t quite gone to plan.
The Welsh defender was signed by Spurs in 2020 for £11m with the fee potential rising to £15m.
There was initial excitement as he joined off the back of a decent campaign with Swansea City.
At 22, he had plenty of potential and a big future ahead of him, but his career has stalled in North London.
Several Spurs managers have come and gone since Rodon’s arrival and each of them has never really fancied playing the defender.
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He’s made just nine league starts for Tottenham so far and his move to Leeds is the second loan move of his Spurs career.
Rodon has now shared the welcome he received from Jose Mourinho when he first joined Tottenham.
It was very different to what he had experienced during his time in Wales.
Rodon shares Mourinho story from when he joined Tottenham
Speaking about when he first joined Spurs, Rodon said: “At Swansea, I did have a close relationship with the manager, but when I went to Spurs it was kind of on your own, I learnt a lot in that period. It is more on your own and by yourself.
“I think coming back here, coming to Leeds, and having the manager has been brilliant with me since I have been through the door and it’s nice to have that relationship again. To feel like you are part of it and want it.
“At Tottenham, I think I learned to become a man in the environment and handling being on my own and maturing that side.”
Despite signing Rodon, the Welshman was never really in Mourinho’s plans at Tottenham.
He’s already earned praise from new manager Daniel Farke after just two league appearances at Elland Road.
Rodon could even be joined by another Spurs player at Leeds this summer in the final days of the transfer window.
It’s hard to see a way back for the 25-year-old at Tottenham, but a good loan spell at Leeds could earn him a permanent move elsewhere next summer.