Leeds Live

Tottenham Hotspur have received a 'verbal offer' from Ipswich Town to sign former Leeds United defender Joe Rodon.

The Welsh international enjoyed a successful loan spell at Elland Road last season and United are keen to sign the 26-year-old on a permanent basis this summer.

But Leeds face competition from three Premier League sides for his signature, with Leicester City, Southampton and Ipswich Town all eager to sign the former Stade Rennais defender.

And, according to our sister title Football.London, it is Ipswich who have stolen a march on their rivals in the race to sign Rodon this summer.

Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold wrote on social media: "Understand Spurs have received a verbal offer for Joe Rodon from Ipswich. Nothing formal or submitted in writing yet. As I reported before, Leicester and Leeds are also after the Wales defender, who is currently abroad at a training camp ahead of the new season."

It is believed Spurs have set a £10million asking price and it remains to be seen whether the Tractor Boys' verbal offer has managed to hit that threshold.

Should Rodon make the move to Portman Road, it would be a blow for Leeds if they missed out on a player who became a fan favourite in West Yorkshire last season.

Leeds United could be setting up a number of reunions through deals with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur this summer as both sides eye up potential targets from one another.

It's already been a busy month for Daniel Farke's side who have seen a number of departures over the last few weeks, with their first fee-based exit coming in the form of midfielder Marc Roca's permanent move to Real Betis. Elsewhere, long-time full-back Luke Ayling loan spell at Middlesborough was made into a permanent deal while Jack Harrison extended his loan deal with Everton and Sonny Perkins was sent on loan to Leyton Orient.

Lewis Bate made a move to Stockport County and Ian Poveda has entered free agency but there are still many more moves on the cards. Centre-back Charlie Cresswell is said to be on his way out to Ligue 1 club Toulouse after falling down the pecking order under Farke, having made just five appearances last season despite an impressive loan spell at Millwall the season prior, while Illan Meslier has attracted attention from Marseille.

It's also claimed that there could be exits for both Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto with a number of Premier League clubs sniffing around the pair who were both pivotal to Leeds' promotion chase in the 2023/24 campaign. However, that failed hunt to return to the Premier League has meant that the Whites have a reported £190million in outstanding transfer fees owed alongside one of the Championship's highest wage bills but must bolster their squad in order to go again.

One name that they're looking at is Spurs midfielder Oliver Skipp according to our sister title football.london, who has himself fallen down the pecking order under Ange Postecoglou following the Australian's arrival in north London last summer. The English youth international made just five starts in the Premier League last season in 21 appearances after Postecoglou preferred a partnership of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr in the central midfield.

Farke is said to be keen on the idea of reuniting with Skipp, who played under the German for Norwich in the 2020/21 season and was a staple in their Championship-winning campaign that year. However, it's unclear whether Skipp would be open to such a move, whether a permanent one or on loan, given that a number of Premier League clubs would be expected to come in for the star if Spurs were willing to part ways with him - even with three years still on his current contract.

That on top of the fact that Skipp's home-grown status being key for Spurs to stay within the Europa League regulations for the upcoming season would make his price tag hard to justify given Leeds' financial fears at the current time. Another star that may be easier to reunite with would be Joe Rodon, who is said to be on Leeds' shortlist this summer.

Having gone back to Spurs at the end of his loan spell, in which he made 50 appearances for the Whites under Farke, Rodon could well be out of the picture in north London given their recent additions to centre-back in Micky Van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. With just 12 months left on his contract, the star's permanent return to Elland Road isn't off the cards by any stretch having played a key role in helping Leeds in their promotion chase.

However, Tottenham will want something going the other way - and that something is Archie Gray. It's been heavily reported that Spurs hold an interest in the 18-year-old, but now Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are all eyeing up the starlet, it could mean Postecoglou's side pull the trigger first to try and get ahead of the crowd.

Gray was arguably Leeds' standout star last year, winning the club's Young Player of the Season on top of the EFL's Championship Young Player of the Season and Championship Apprentice of the Season awards and proving that Leeds' value of between £30m and £50m for the star is well justified.

Leeds United starlet Archie Gray is one of the hottest properties outside of the Premier League. The 18-year-old has many top flight admirers, with Chelsea the latest elite club to have "joined the race" to sign the talented teenager.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the Whites have "financial issues" to contend with after failing to win promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt and suggest Gray is on the Blues' transfer radar as Enzo Maresca looks to revamp their midfield this summer. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a top performer under Maresca in Leicester City's last term, is also reportedly wanted by Chelsea.

The Daily Telegraph report states Chelsea have yet to make a formal approach for either Dewsbury-Hall or Gray. The national newspaper claims United want well over £30m for Gray, who excelled in a fantastic breakthrough campaign at Elland Road last term. He starred first in midfield and then sparkled at right-back as Daniel Farke's men finished third in the table after racking up 90 points. The 18-year-old made 52 appearances across all competitions, including all three of the club's play-off matches.

Chelsea are not the only club to have expressed their interest in Gray, with Borussia Dortmund also believed to be genuine contenders for his signature. Tottenham have also been strongly linked with Gray while Liverpool are said to have kept close tabs on the player over the course of the 2023/24 season.

England Under-21 international Gray will be expected back at Thorp Arch next week for the first day of pre-season testing and training, having flown out to Dubai to work on his conditioning with ex-Leeds fitness coach Chris Bowman.

Chelsea's transfer interest in Dewsbury-Hall and Gray will only increase speculation over the future of Conor Gallagher, who is currently on England duty. The midfielder has attracted interest from Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid in recent weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur have targeted Southampton midfielder Carlos 'Charly' Alcaraz and could offer defender Joe Rodon as a sweetener to get the deal done. Rodon spent last season on loan at Leeds United, with the Whites hoping to agree a deal with Spurs to bring the Wales international back to Elland Road.

However, Leeds are not alone in their pursuit of Rodon and face competition from the three Championship promoted sides in Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town. With Spurs also linked to Leeds' teenager star Archie Gray, there had been suggestions if the Whites felt they had to sell Gray they could do a deal that would bring Rodon in the other direction.

Spurs are understood to want £10m for Rodon, a fee not beyond Leeds' reach, but the player has Premier League ambitions and the suggestion is a swap deal with Southampton for Alcaraz plus a transfer fee would suit all parties better. The Sun report Alcaraz is on Spurs' radar this summer with the player having spent the second half of last season at Juventus following Saints' relegation from the Premier League in 2023.

Alcaraz is valued at around £30m, and is seen as a rising young talent with a big future. He made his debut for Juventus in January, coming off the bench to replace former Leeds midfielder Weston McKennie.

Having spent the past two seasons on loan, Rodon is seeking stability with his next move and it is understood he would have stayed at Leeds had the club won promotion. Speaking before the play-off final he said; "It would be nice to have stability and know where I am next season. I’ve always strived to get to the elite level and hopefully I can get back there with Leeds, but you never know.

“I don’t want to look too far into the future, although I do love it here and Leeds feels like a second home to me now. I’m just concentrating on giving my best and getting this club back to where it belongs.”

Volleys of abuse rained down on Weston McKennie as he trudged off Elland Road for the last time in May 2023. It was an image which summed up the toxicity around Leeds United as they fell out of the Premier League with a desperate whimper.

Of the last 27 points available to the Whites in their fight to remain in the top flight, they won two. McKennie was not single-handedly responsible for the dire run of form he was in the middle of, after arriving on loan in January, but he became the target of so much anger.

The American’s loan spell, Nottingham Forest win aside, was a disaster. He had been parachuted into a team on a desperate run of form, saw his first head coach dismissed after one appearance and cycled through three further bosses before he returned to Italy.

It was not an environment conducive to high performance, but this summer’s links with Aston Villa will have justifiably left some Leeds fans feeling quite bemused. If the 25-year-old were brought back to a United side in the Championship, there would be very few supporters in West Yorkshire jumping for joy.

The proposed move to Champions League-bound Villa is wrapped up in Douglas Luiz’s move in the other direction. However, while the Brazilian’s terms in Turin are sorted, McKennie’s are reportedly holding the entire deal up.

Leeds United have been handed a transfer boost in their pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon after a number of key developments this week. Tottenham Hotspur activated an extra year in Rodon's contract following his return to the club after a hugely successful season on loan with Leeds in the Championship.

Anticipating the interest in Rodon after an impressive season and eager to see some return on the £11m they paid Swansea City for the Welsh international, Tottenham activated the extra year with full intention of selling the player. It's understood Spurs are looking for a fee in the region of £10 for Rodon, with a number of clubs having been linked including new Premier League sides Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton.

Given Rodon's desire to return to the Premier League, that increased transfer competition appeared to leave Leeds trailing some way behind in the chase for his signature, not to mention the sizeable fee required for a club that has to contend with a Profit and Sustainability Rules issue which leaves them treading a fine line at present.

However, the landscape has shifted in Leeds' favour this week. Ipswich Town are understood to have turned their attentions away from Rodon as they prioritise trying to do a deal for Hull City's rising star Jacob Greaves. A player tipped as a future England centre-back, Greaves appears destined for the Premier League with Ipswich hoping to provide him with that opportunity.

That would reduce the field for Rodon but more importantly for Leeds is their improving financial position with regards to PSR and money that can be spent this summer. Marc Roca is set to seal permanent transfer from Leeds to Real Betis in the coming days after successful year on loan in La Liga, while will represent a return for Leeds both in a transfer fee and releasing his expensive wages.

Leeds United’s hopes of keeping Joe Rodon at Elland Road have taken a serious hit with multiple Premier League sides reported to be interested.

The Welsh international impressed at Leeds last season, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, but Daniel Farke’s desire to keep the 26-year-old in Yorkshire may be in danger with the three sides who pipped the Whites to Premier League promotion all said to be looking to secure Rodon’s services.

Becoming a mainstay of the defence, the centre back played 50 times during his spell with Leeds - who would have undoubtedly been the favourites to secure Rodon’s signature had they secured promotion, however they now face stiff competition from Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton.

Read more… Leeds United rivals tipped to sell star Daniel Farke likes in Gareth Bale transfer repeat

Given their current financial situation after being succumbed to another season in the second division at the hands of the Saints, Leeds are not in as strong as a position as their Premier League counterparts to barter for a deal, though Rodon may prefer to return to familiar pastures having enjoyed his time under Farke Leeds would have to sell before they buy.

Ipswich are set to rekindle the interest shown in the Spurs man last summer before he opted for a move to LS11, while a move to Southampton would compile the misery inflicted on that fateful May day in Wembley and be the Saints second defensive reinforcement of the summer having already acquired the services of Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Leeds United transfer target Oliver Skipp knows full well how good Daniel Farke can be when it comes to developing young talent - having played a key role in his own career.

The Tottenham midfielder worked with Farke during a season-long loan spell at Norwich City in the 2020-21 campaign, becoming a key member of the Canaries side which won promotion to the Premier League that season, and earning himself a place in the EFL team of the season.

Farke has overseen the progress of Leeds youngsters such as Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter this season, but with the club missing out on promotion to the Premier League, faces another summer of rebuilding behind the scenes. Leeds have been linked with a move for Skipp, with the Spurs midfielder potentially available having slipped down the pecking order at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It would mean a reunion for the pair, and Skipp was quick to credit Farke's influence on his successful Norwich loan upon his return to Spurs in 2021.

“It was a crucial time for me in terms of getting regular games," Skipp said. "You go out on loan with the hope that you’ll be able to play a significant number of matches, but I didn’t go to Norwich with the feeling that I’d play 45 of the 46 games and that the season would go as well as it did.

“I’m so grateful to Daniel Farke and all the players, they all helped me settle in so easily, and then helped to create the player that you see today. It was a massive part of my development, that season, going away from home, dealing with Covid-19 restrictions, and that all meant my sole focus was playing week in, week out against all different kinds of opposition in the Championship.

“One week you’ll play a team like Wycombe, who will play longer, and are very good at it. The next week it will be Swansea or Brentford, possession based teams. That was good to help my development, coming up against those different styles.

“The loan also helped develop me outside of football and you can’t underestimate how important it is to get that right to make sure you are performing on the pitch. It helps you grow up and become independent, having to do all the things you take for granted when you are younger, the things other people do, the things you don’t have to do for yourself, so it was a really good experience in that way.

“I got on with all the players so well, they all helped me and made sure I had everything I needed. Then it was up to me to make sure I made the most of it, something I was desperate to do to get first-team football. You can train with the first team week in, week out, and that’s amazing, but I just felt I needed that football and Norwich gave me the opportunity.”

Leeds United transfer target Oliver Skipp knows full well how good Daniel Farke can be when it comes to developing young talent - having played a key role in his own career.

The Tottenham midfielder worked with Farke during a season-long loan spell at Norwich City in the 2020-21 campaign, becoming a key member of the Canaries side which won promotion to the Premier League that season, and earning himself a place in the EFL team of the season.

Farke has overseen the progress of Leeds youngsters such as Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter this season, but with the club missing out on promotion to the Premier League, faces another summer of rebuilding behind the scenes. Leeds have been linked with a move for Skipp, with the Spurs midfielder potentially available having slipped down the pecking order at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It would mean a reunion for the pair, and Skipp was quick to credit Farke's influence on his successful Norwich loan upon his return to Spurs in 2021.

“It was a crucial time for me in terms of getting regular games," Skipp said. "You go out on loan with the hope that you’ll be able to play a significant number of matches, but I didn’t go to Norwich with the feeling that I’d play 45 of the 46 games and that the season would go as well as it did.

“I’m so grateful to Daniel Farke and all the players, they all helped me settle in so easily, and then helped to create the player that you see today. It was a massive part of my development, that season, going away from home, dealing with Covid-19 restrictions, and that all meant my sole focus was playing week in, week out against all different kinds of opposition in the Championship.

“One week you’ll play a team like Wycombe, who will play longer, and are very good at it. The next week it will be Swansea or Brentford, possession based teams. That was good to help my development, coming up against those different styles.

“The loan also helped develop me outside of football and you can’t underestimate how important it is to get that right to make sure you are performing on the pitch. It helps you grow up and become independent, having to do all the things you take for granted when you are younger, the things other people do, the things you don’t have to do for yourself, so it was a really good experience in that way.

“I got on with all the players so well, they all helped me and made sure I had everything I needed. Then it was up to me to make sure I made the most of it, something I was desperate to do to get first-team football. You can train with the first team week in, week out, and that’s amazing, but I just felt I needed that football and Norwich gave me the opportunity.”

In Oliver Skipp, Leeds United could gain a player with a particularly valuable trait already displayed at Premier League level, according to current manager Ange Postecoglou.

The 23-year-old is said to be of interest at Elland Road this summer with the club monitoring his situation. As the transfer window is officially open, Spurs' own search for midfield reinforcements could force academy graduates like Skipp closer to the exit door.

Sister site football.london say if events unfold this way, the player is believed to be open to reconnecting with Daniel Farke, whom he spent a season on loan under at Norwich City four years ago. Leeds' boss will therefore know a lot about the target in question, though since then his development has cultivated another trait the Championship club will be heavily fond of.

Spurs' fourth-from-last game of the recent campaign saw them head to Liverpool without a recognised left back fit enough to feature. Skipp was brought on with 30 minutes to play at 4-0 down and in an unfamiliar berth aided his team finding two consolation goals.

"We have been working with Skippy the last few weeks," Postecoglou said afterwards. "When we lost Destiny [Udogie] and Ben [Davies], we're left with Emerson [Royal] who is not really a left back, we were looking around at options and in training we have been using him in that space.

"I thought he did well when he came on [at Anfield]. The way we play with full-backs, certainly with some of the positioning, he wouldn’t be too unfamiliar with the positions he would need to take up. He is an option for us and I think we need another option because we have three games this week and we only have Emerson as a back-up full-back at the club."

The England Under-21 international would later start on the left side of defence, with Spurs beating Burnley 2-1 in North London.

With the Championship campaign always a gruelling one, having versatile players comes as a sought-after bonus to managers like Farke. A tool like Skipp at his disposal next season will come in handy, especially if injuries were to get the best of Junior Firpo and Sam Byram.

The club are also eager to have Joe Rodon return from Spurs having impressed on loan last season, in what could turn out to be a double swoop of Postecoglou's ranks.