Credit: Imago

James Barker

Fri 10 April 2026 18:40, UK

Federico Gatti has been linked with a summer move to Leeds United, but he wouldn’t be a clear upgrade on Joe Rodon.

According to a report from Calrciomercato.it, Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti wouldn’t stand in Gatti’s way if he wished to leave Turin this summer.

It’s claimed that the 27-year-old could be one who is moved on from in order to raise funds, despite the fact he’s contracted with Juve until the summer of 2030.

The report states that he could command an asking price of around €25million euros/£21.7m pounds, and that numerous Premier League sides hold an interest in the central defender.

Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Newcastle have all been credited with an interest, whilst Leeds are also touted as being a potential landing spot for a permanent transfer this summer.

Federico Gatti and Joe Rodon’s league stats compared

Rodon has enjoyed a mixed season for Leeds, with some good and bad moments culminating in a campaign that hasn’t been bad by any means, but he hasn’t quite been his typically reliable self week-to-week.

His centre-back partners Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk respectively, have been slightly better than the Welsh international this season, and so should the Whites look to sign a central defender this summer, it’s perhaps Rodon who could be replaced.

Gatti is an eight-cap Italian international, and has played over 130 times for Juventus since joining them from Frosinone in January 2022.

So, he certainly has some top pedigree on his CV, but do his underlying league numbers from this season suggest he’d be a marked upgrade on Rodon if he was to sign for Leeds this summer? No.

As per Sofascore, Rodon has made more interceptions (0.9 to 0.8), won more tackles (1.1 to 0.6), made more clearances (5.7 to 3.1) and blocked more shots (0.6 to 0.3) per game in the Premier League than Gatti has in Serie A this term.

The Leeds fan favourite has also won considerably more ground duels, with a 68.6 per cent win rate as opposed to Gatti’s 48.5 per cent, and he’s won more aerial duels per game too, with 2.7 to the Italian’s 1.3.

Rodon also averages more touches (58.8 to 45.1) and plays more key passes per game (0.2 to 0.1), whilst the Welshman has been part of five Leeds clean sheets this season, whereas Gatti has only been part of two for Juventus.

Gatti’s passing accuracy of 91 per cent is only slightly better than Rodon’s 88 per cent success rate too, and the latter has created one big chance this season, whilst the former hasn’t created any.

Rodon brings hard to replace qualities to Leeds

So, Rodon is posting better underlying numbers than Gatti in a host of key categories this season, so that would suggest signing the Italian wouldn’t provide an obvious and significant upgrade on the Welshman.

That’s not to say Gatti would be a bad signing, but for close to £22m, Leeds could probably put that sort of money towards signing a player who would provide a more clear-cut improvement on what they already have.

On top of this, Rodon also brings that leadership and warrior-like spirit to Leeds’ defence, always putting his head where it hurts and leading by example.

Those sorts of qualities are precious commodities to have, and would make moving on from Rodon a difficult task, and why it may be wise to keep him in the starting lineup until they’re in a position to sign a definitive upgrade.