Dream Rodon replacement: Leeds are keen to sign “dominant” PL star
Leeds United look set to be dealt a big blow ahead of their upcoming matches as supporters wait to hear exactly how long Joe Rodon will be out injured for.
After the Wales international went off with an ankle injury in the first half against Sunderland, Daniel Farke has since confirmed that the centre-back will be out of action for around three weeks with ligament damage.
Rodon, as outlined in the post above, is set to miss a league game after 104 consecutive starts, which is some achievement from the former Tottenham Hotspur defender.
This means that Leeds will have to adjust to defending without the Welsh titan in the backline for the first time in a long time, whilst having to defend against Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.
Leeds eyeing move for Premier League defender
The Whites already have one eye on how they may replace Rodon in the short-term, as they are looking at signing another central defender.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Football Insider, Leeds United are plotting a move to sign Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi in the upcoming January transfer window.
The report claims that the West Yorkshire outfit have set their sights on signing the French central defender to bolster Farke’s options at the back as a result of Rodon’s ankle injury.
It adds that the Whites want to sign the former Monaco man on loan for the second-half of the 2025/26 campaign, to compete with Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol, and Rodon, when he is available.
Football Insider also reveals that Chelsea are keen to offload the £80k-per-week defender in January, but they are unable to send him out on an international loan as they have already filled all of their spots, handing Leeds a boost in the race for his signature.
Why Disasi is a perfect Rodon replacement
Leeds should sign Disasi because he has the potential to be the perfect replacement for the Welshman in the next three weeks and if he is out for any further time.
Even when the Wales international returns to action, the French defender would still be a brilliant replacement for him as a rotation option, or as competition for Bijol and Struijk.
It has not worked out for Disasi at Stamford Bridge, with zero minutes in all competitions this season, but his Premier League form for Chelsea in his debut season and on loan at Aston Villa last term suggest that he can be a good option for Leeds.
Flopping for a team competing for the top four and winning trophies, as Disasi has, does not mean that he is not good enough to be a key player for a side looking to avoid relegation, as Leeds are.
Rodon is the perfect example of that. He only played 24 times for Tottenham, per Transfermarkt, before his move to Leeds, and he has started every Premier League game so far this season for the Whites, although that streak looks set to end this week.
|
Axel Disasi (Premier League) |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
31 |
13 |
|
Goals |
2 |
1 |
|
Pass accuracy |
91% |
90% |
|
Ground duel success rate |
62% |
52% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
69% |
62% |
|
Error led to goal |
0 |
1 |
|
Clean sheets |
5 |
2 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, Disasi has only made one error that led to a goal in 44 Premier League games so far, and has been incredibly dominant in the air.
Subscribe for newsletter analysis on Leeds’ transfer options
Subscribing to the newsletter unlocks deeper Leeds transfer and defensive analysis—insightful breakdowns of potential signings, squad impact, and comparative stats, plus similar transfer and squad coverage across the Premier League.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Rodon, meanwhile, has made one error that led to a goal and won 69% of his ground duels and 54% of his aerial duels in 18 Premier League appearances this season, per Sofascore.
This suggests that Disasi, who was described as a “complete” and “dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may even offer more quality to Leeds as an aerial presence, winning a higher percentage of his contests in the air, whilst both players rarely make catastrophic mistakes.
The chart above, comparing Disasi’s first season at Chelsea with Rodon’s form this season, suggests that they both excel in similar areas, which means that the Frenchman could be a perfect replacement for the Welsh star.
The 27-year-old star has the Premier League experience and proven quality to hit the ground running, as he did at Villa last term, as a fantastic short-term loan option for Leeds, offering them instant quality as an aerially dominant defender to take Rodon’s place in the next few weeks.
Leeds were ready to sell star, now he's as undroppable as Calvert-Lewin
Leeds United must now be thankful they didn’t sell their £45k-per-week star after his standout showing against Sunderland.
By
Kelan Sarson
