‘It Was Impossible’ – Star Admits Being Powerless To Resist Leeds United | OneFootball

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Leeds United star Joe Rodon has revealed that he found it impossible to say no when the Elland Road club approached the summer before last.

Rodon signed for Leeds on a permanent basis in the summer of 2024, after the Whites beat off interest from three Premier League sides to land the man they had had on loan the previous season.

While it was said that Rodon was eager to return to Elland Road at that time, the defender has now gone into detail, explaining his thought process behind the decision to rejoin Leeds.

Rodon revealed that his ties with Leeds began early, with his uncle’s allegiance to the club leaving an imprint on him, which later only became reinforced through his friendships with Daniel James and Ethan Ampadu.

Remarking upon the famous Elland Road atmosphere, Rodon recalled how he impressed he was left as a visiting player, and mused that he might have been destined to sign for the club and how it was ‘impossible to say no’.

Rodon told Leeds’ media (29:30): “I think going back to what I said before about things, like meant to happen, to be fair my family, obviously, big lovers of football and my uncle was always kind of a massive Leeds fan growing up.

“I just think that the club, like the history, everything about it like it’s a massive club and obviously me knowing Ethan [Ampadu] and Dan [James] were here before.

“Me and Ethan were speaking but I just think, like obviously DJ was here you know obviously a few years before. And obviously me and DJ have been really close for years and years before that.

“But I just think I have always kind of had an eye over Leeds, like I have watched them loads of times and played against them.

“So I think just kind of having you know that experience against them and I think when I came here before and actually I only played here once against them and the atmosphere, oh my, like I never experienced anything like it honestly.

“I think it was just set up perfectly, I think for me to just kind of come in here and I think the project of what I was kind of, brought into and told.

“I think it was just like it was impossible for me to say no.” 

Daniel James and Rodon came through Swansea City’s academy, before going on to represent the Welsh club concurrently.

Ethan Ampadu, who revealed that he admires the work ethic and professionalism of Rodon, had signed for Leeds a month earlier in 2023 before the centre-back joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke spoke in effusive terms about Rodon when the centre-back reached an 100th consecutive game as a starter for the Whites in December, while revealing in October that he was intent on improving the defender’s attacking output.

Rodon opened up about the guidance he received from Welsh legend Gareth Bale, something which might come in handy against Bale’s old club, with Tottenham and Leeds embroiled in a relegation battle.

Leeds travel to Selhurst Park on Sunday, and the Whites will be keen to put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack of Spurs, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest, with Crystal Palace needing to fulfil a Conference League fixture on Thursday.