Why Leeds United should avoid a move for Valencia’s Rodrigo
As per Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Daily Star), Leeds United are interested in signing Valencia star Rodrigo ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that the club’s majority share-holder Andrea Radrizzani has identified Rodrigo as a top target to bolster their attack as they prepare for life in the Premier League.
Profile
Born in Brazil, Rodrigo started his journey with Flamengo and Nigran before joining Celta Vigo’s youth system in Spain. He then moved to Real Madrid’s Castilla side in 2009 but failed to make it to the senior set-up. He was sold to Benfica a year later.
He was immediately sent on a loan spell to Bolton Wanderers, where he to score just once in 21 games and returned to Portugal. He slowly established himself as a key member of the squad and helped them win several trophies, including the league title in 2013/14 and two Portuguese League Cup titles.
However, he joined Valencia initially on a loan spell before making the switch permanent in the summer of 2015. He has gone on to make 220 appearances for the Spanish outfit and has also established himself as the first-choice striker for Spain.
Why Leeds don’t need Rodrigo
Marcelo Bielsa has managed to take the Whites back to the top-flight after a 16-year absence and is looking to prepare for their return to the Premier League as they take on Liverpool in their first game. But they lack enough options upfront.
Patrick Bamford is the only established striker available at the manager’s disposal. The former Chelsea man managed to rack up 16 goals in the Championship last season but hasn’t had competition for the spot. Tyler Roberts seems to be comfortable while being deployed in an attacking role.
Apart from them, they have only Jay-Roy Grot and new arrival Joe Gelhardt. Both of them are inexperienced, and thus, their interest in Rodrigo is understandable. However, they should avoid a move for the Spanish international.
The former Benfica man hasn’t been at his best, except for the 2017/18 campaign, where he scored 16 goals in the league. Apart from that, he has never managed to score more than 10 league goals in any of the league campaigns, whereas Leeds need a prolific striker who can provide them enough apart from Bamford’s contribution.
Last season, the 29-year-old Rodrigo managed to score just 4 goals in 27 league games and couldn’t finish the campaign due to a knee injury. Moreover, he is already 29 and reaching the twilight of his career, which shows he wouldn’t be around to contribute enough for the club’s future.
Read more
- Why Leeds United should continue their pursuit of Ivan Perisic
- Why Leeds United should make a move for Fredrik Aursnes
Verdict
Though Rodrigo has immense experience at the top level, his numbers have been on the decline in recent times. On the other hand, Leeds should prepare for the future in the top-flight. Thus, avoiding a move for Rodrigo would be a wise decision by the club. Instead, they should make a move for a youngster who is in form and can offer himself in the long run.
