'Not Far Off Being A Top PL Player' - Exclusive: Robinson on Spurs youngster display
Joe Rodon was impressive yet again for Tottenham against Marine — he's close to being a serious Premier League centre-back.
That is according to former Spurs favourite Paul Robinson, speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs after Rodon reached double figures in terms of appearances for the season on Sunday evening.
While Marine rarely offered a threat going forward, Rodon was composed at centre-half, winning 100% of his aerial duels and finishing the night with 94% pass accuracy (Wyscout).
The 23-year-old joined Spurs for £11million in October, when the regular transfer window was shut but moves between Premier League and Football League clubs still permitted.
Robinson noticed Rodon's encouraging performance and says Spurs are lucky to have such a player on their books, even if expectations were not particularly high when he arrived.
"Yeah, I was impressed with him last night," he told Football Insider.
"I thought he was a good signing. I think a lot of people thought that Spurs would make a big name signing in the defensive area in summer and were surprised when that window came and went without getting someone in.
"And then Joe Rodon came in, with the other window still open. So it was a signing that raised a few eyebrows but I think he's done very, very well since he's come in as a young player. He's still learning, he's obviously very impressionable, he's gonna be learning from the players around him.
"He looks very confident, very adept. He's not far off being a top Premier League player."
Prior to his arrival in North London, Rodon had spent his entire career with Swansea City, bar one loan spell to Cheltenham Town in 2017-18.
His exploits were noticed by Wales in 2019 when Rodon was handed the first of 10 international caps.