Leeds United: Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu impressing

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00:00 Staying in defence, Joe Rodon is another centre-half who's done quite well recently.

00:05 And Ethan Ampadu as well, we could have a bit of a chat about him.

00:08 But if we look at Joe Rodon first, he's on loan of course.

00:12 Is this perhaps another Ben White situation where of course Ben White was on loan at Leeds

00:16 and then has left again and gone on to good things at Arsenal?

00:20 Yeah, well I certainly heard it said by a few people and I can see the similarities,

00:24 yeah, because he's basically made that sort of impression really.

00:27 I mean, Ben White was fantastic when he came to Leeds, obviously, I mean, playing every single minute.

00:31 And, you know, I mean, obviously no surprise really that Leeds tried to buy him in the summer,

00:36 which obviously didn't end up possible.

00:38 And now look where he is at Arsenal and whatnot.

00:40 And it's different with Joe Rodon because he's a bit, obviously, he's older.

00:43 I think Ben was 21 when Leeds signed him.

00:45 Joe Rodon's now 26, so he's five more years on him.

00:48 And, you know, he's obviously, you know, he's still got, you know, he could be anything in terms of his future.

00:53 He's got an awful lot of potential still.

00:55 You know, it's not like he's knocking on his 30s yet or anything like that.

00:58 So it's just difficult to see what will happen with him really.

01:02 I mean, obviously he's on a season-long loan at Leeds.

01:03 I don't think there's any doubt about it that he's the sort of player that Leeds would want to buy permanently.

01:07 I mean, but whether that ends up happening or not, I suppose that just depends on the player.

01:10 It also depends on Tottenham and it also ultimately, you know, just depends on where Leeds find themselves.

01:15 But he has made a very, very big impact.

01:18 There's no doubt about that.

01:18 Been extremely impressive at the back.

01:21 Him and Pascal at centre-back looks like, you know, a cemented duo, obviously, until Pascal's gone for surgery,

01:27 which means obviously Koeper's come back.

01:29 But yeah, he's been fantastic so far.

01:32 I mean, as I say, we'll just have to wait and see.

01:34 I think his contract's up in 2025, so about 18 months left there.

01:38 I mean, 26-year-old.

01:39 I mean, Spurs paid £11 million up front.

01:41 I think it was rising to £15 million.

01:42 So these are all things you think about in terms of what he's worth.

01:45 Wales international.

01:47 So it's difficult.

01:48 He'd probably be worth around about the same amount of money now, I would suggest.

01:50 Maybe possibly a bit more because of how well he's playing.

01:53 So it's a difficult one, isn't it?

01:55 Because Leeds have done brilliantly to get him on a season-long loan.

01:58 He's obviously helping them enormously.

02:00 But when a player comes in like that, it's not just Leeds looking at him and impressed with him.

02:04 And it won't just be Tottenham looking and being impressed.

02:06 Other clubs will look at him and be impressed too and stuff.

02:08 And it's hard to say really what the future will hold.

02:11 But obviously, Leeds will put themselves in a much better position if they get promotion,

02:14 which is obviously the aim.

02:15 And with him in the side, you would think there'd be a very good chance of them doing that.

02:19 Looks a natural leader as well.

02:20 Daniel, really, I think he's the sort of player that, you know,

02:22 like I know Leeds aren't short of leaders with Cooper as captain, Ailing when he's there,

02:27 Pascal having picked up the armband.

02:28 But he is definitely the sort of person you could imagine as a captain as well.

02:31 So Leeds, just on Ethan Ampadu, he's one of only two players to have played every minute

02:44 in the Championship this season.

02:47 Just how vital has his contribution been so far?

02:50 Yeah, he's been immense.

02:51 I mean, you sort of go through the team and look at standout performers so far this season.

02:55 I mean, the freshest one in the memory would obviously be Christenzie O'Summerville,

02:59 because obviously he got the Player of the Month award and he has been absolutely fantastic.

03:02 Giogini Routier has come back and been outstanding up front, obviously, perot of his goals.

03:06 Rothen at centre-back and stuff.

03:08 But you could go for nearly the whole team.

03:09 But realistically, in the middle of the park, I mean, the stats speak for themselves.

03:13 And other than Hélène Méliès, the goalkeeper himself has been fantastic upon, not return,

03:17 but obviously back in the Championship.

03:20 Ethan Ampadu has been outstanding in midfield and playing every single minute tells you all

03:25 you need to know, really.

03:26 You get the whole thing about first name on the team sheet.

03:30 And I don't know, it didn't really work like that in terms of you doing it like,

03:32 'Oh, who starts first?' or whatever.

03:34 But he must be surely one of them when you look at it.

03:36 And in terms of summer business and stuff, I mean, seven million for Chelsea means looking

03:40 like an absolute steal for him now.

03:41 I mean, you've got to remember, he's still only 23 years old as well.

03:44 So he's got an awful long time, long future ahead of him and probably only going to

03:47 continue to get better and loads of international experience under his belt already.

03:51 It's going to be an interesting one in midfield with Leeds because obviously there is, well,

03:55 when Jed Spence comes back, there's going to be a situation you would assume he would

03:58 come back and be first choice right back.

04:00 I mean, he's a fantastic player.

04:01 So I can't see him not being first choice right back once he gets back in the groove.

04:05 You're going to have this situation where you basically have Ethan Ampadu, Glenn Kamara

04:09 and Archie Gray, who are basically three very good centre midfielders.

04:11 And you're only going to be able to play two of them almost certainly.

04:14 But I think the way that Kamara is obviously getting better and better and starting to

04:17 look very impressive.

04:18 We all know how good Archie Gray is.

04:19 He's still only 17 though.

04:20 So whether he drops to the bench for a little bit, I don't know.

04:22 I mean, but then is he too good to drop to the bench even at this stage?

04:25 It's, there are all questions that need to be answered.

04:27 But one thing that's not in doubt is that Ethan Ampadu has been a fantastic signing.

04:30 And I think it's the case really when you look at the midfield and everyone's fit,

04:33 probably him plus one other.

04:35 Obviously, he's sort of seen as sort of like a CDM, I suppose, but it's his range of passing

04:39 as well, you know, and he does get forward occasionally, has the odd shot as well and

04:42 stuff, brings an awful lot to his game.

04:44 And yeah, they've just signed a very, very good player there.

04:46 have leads and hopefully one that will be integral to the environment of promotion.

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