Brighton target 23-year-old Tottenham starlet – What should Nuno Santo choose to do?

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Aniket Rai

Brighton and Hove Albion want Tottenham ace Joe Rodon

According to a report by Sky Sports, Arsenal are willing to make a third bid for Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Ben White after having their first two bids rejected. This, according to the Express, has led Brighton to target Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon.

Rodon was signed by Spurs from Swansea City just last year and has already made a handful of senior appearances for the club under Jose Mourinho and Ryan Mason. With Nuno Espirito Santo now at the helm and Rodon coming on the back of an impressive UEFA Euros with Wales, let us find out why Tottenham should not let the 23-year-old defender go to the Seagulls.

The potential shortage of defenders

Tottenham Hotspur can be short on quality senior centre-backs by the time the next season starts. Veteran defender Toby Alderweireld, according to The Athletic (Subscription Required), has told the club that he wants to leave. This comes after the Premier League side lost another Belgian defender, Jan Vertonghen, to SL Benfica just last summer.

Tottenham Hotspur and Wales defender, Joe Rodon, is the subject of transfer interest from Bright and Hove Albion, who see him as a replacement for Ben White.
Tottenham Hotspur and Wales defender, Joe Rodon, is the subject of transfer interest from Bright and Hove Albion, who see him as a potential replacement for Ben White. (imago Images)

Potentially losing two of their most dependable centre-backs within the space of a year would disrupt the harmony in their defensive line. And that is not all, as the Lilywhites could be in line to lose another centre-back.

A report by Football.london mentions that Tottenham will look to sell Cameron Carter-Vickers. The 23-year-old USA international was already not a part of Jose Mourinho’s plans as he was loaned out to Bournemouth last season. That leaves Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, and the young Japhet Tanganga as the options in central defence.

Tanganga, 22, is still developing and has played as a right-back. Could Takehiro Tomiyasu, the Bologna defender chased by Tottenham provide that? The report by Football.london that mentions Spurs’ intentions of signing the Japanese international also states that Spurs would want to use him as a defensive right-back, and not as a centre-back.

Joe Rodon representing the Wales national team for whom he impressed at UEFA Euros 2020.
Joe Rodon representing the Wales national team for whom he impressed at UEFA Euros 2020. (Getty Images)

Rodon deserves another season

While Dier and Sanchez are dependable options, the duo, alongside Alderweireld, needs competition in that area. And that is something that Joe Rodon could provide. The 23-year-old is on the back of an impressive Euros campaign with Wales. His team made the knockout rounds but succumbed to Denmark in the round of 16.

But Rodon was a shining light in their campaign, with legendary Spurs and Wales footballer, Mike England, praising the youngster’s progress last season and in the Euros. This could be the season for Rodon to come to the fore and really make a mark on this Spurs side.

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Spurs paid £11million plus add-ons for him last year, and it is only fair to Rodon that he gets a chance to prove his worth this season. Having signed a 5-year deal upon his arrival, it’s not like Spurs would be under any pressure to sell him. So there is no real reason why Rodon’s transfer to Brighton can benefit the Lilywhites in a major way.