Joe Rodon pre-season update shared as five missing for Leeds United
Leeds United began their pre-season preparations at Thorp Arch minus five senior first-team players, according to Beren Cross.
The LeedsLive journalist posted on X (4 July) after reporting that new signing Joe Rodon was one of five players not seen in the club’s pre-season coverage on social media after his £10million move from Tottenham.
Brenden Aaronson, Diego Llorente, Rasmus Kristensen and Maximilian Wober were also not in attendance at Thorp Arch, all four of whom spent last season out on loan at other clubs.
With all five players barring Llorente having played international football this summer, it remains to be seen when the quintet will join up with their Peacocks team-mates in preparation for the new campaign.
Questions remain for several Leeds United players this summer
While Rodon’s £10million arrival – which occurred as a result of Archie Gray heading to Tottenham for £40m himself – means he’s going nowhere, three other defenders have very uncertain futures [Graham Smyth, 1 July].
Aaronson has also confirmed he’ll be playing on in the Championship after spending last season out on loan at Union Berlin, but his return will be delayed despite the USMNT’s early Copa America exit [Graham Smyth, 10 June].
Kristensen and Wober are in the same boat having seen their respective Denmark and Austria sides eliminated from Euro 2024 at the round-of-16 stage – with Wober in particular likely to attract interest.
Llorente seems the player least likely to be pitching up at all, as shown by his absence on 3 July. The Spaniard had no international football to play this summer, yet still hasn’t returned for pre-season [Roma News, 18 June].
That’s because after 18 months out on loan at Roma, the defender is pushing for a permanent exit to Real Betis in his homeland, with that transfer looking likely despite the Whites rejecting an initial bid [Daily Mirror, 3 July].
Overall, it seems clear that Rodon and Aaronson will soon be back involved at Thorp Arch, but where the futures of Llorente, Kristensen and Wober are concerned, that’s anyone’s guess at the moment.
In other Leeds United news, a Willy Gnonto exit update has emerged at Elland Road after Brighton opened summer transfer talks.
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