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Emma de Duve

Jose Mourinho could secure £6m reunion with Tottenham defender after Hugo Lloris admission

As with every transfer window, Tottenham fans want to see multiple players making the move to N17. Spurs have started their transfer window business off well, completing the signing of three players already, as the road to strengthening Antonio Conte's squad continues.

However, outgoings are also a vital part of the window. The Italian needs to have a strong and cohesive squad to go into the 2022/23 campaign and will need to move some players on who don't fit in his plans.

Spurs have a busy fixture schedule ahead, and Conte will need to rotate his starting XI to deal with the number of matches. However, some players will also want to be guaranteed regular game time with the World Cup approaching.

READ MORE: What Fabio Paratici is doing to secure further transfer funds for Antonio Conte at Tottenham

One player whose future at Tottenham is still uncertain is Joe Rodon. The Welsh international has arguably been quite unlucky since Conte became Spurs boss.

The Italian made it clear that the defender was Eric Dier's understudy, so it didn't help Rodon when the 28-year-old was producing solid performances week in and week out. The 24-year-old became even more unlucky when he was playing well for his country but still not getting game time at club level.

This has led to questions being raised over his future in N17 and Rodon has been linked with a move to Roma, which would see him reunite with Jose Mourinho. football.london understands that on the day the Portuguese head coach left Tottenham, he told Hugo Lloris to look after the defender, as Mourinho felt Rodon had the potential to become the best defender at the club.

The reported interest from Roma isn't believed to have become anything concrete yet, but maybe the 59-year-old's message to Lloris to look after Rodon will turn into Mourinho looking after the defender if they are reunited. If the Welshman did make the permanent move to the Italian side, he might cost up to just £6million, according to his CIES valuation.

However, a loan move to Roma could be most beneficial to both sides. Rodon could move to a club with a manager he has played under before and one who is fond of the 24-year-old.

Conte wouldn't lose his defender completely, and the Welsh international would hopefully get some regular game time ahead of the upcoming World Cup. The relationship between Mourinho and the defender, whilst they were both at Tottenham, seemed to be strong based on their praise for one another.

"It's been a tough year, ups and downs, but I thought he handled me very well. It's made me way better, mentally as well, and it's going to benefit you moving forward," Rodon said when talking about Mourinho last year.

"Everyone wants to play games, of course, but sometimes it doesn't go that way. You have to pick yourself up, keep going and hopefully get your rewards at the end of it."

"Every player would like to play more minutes, but I got to train every day and work hard with some top players. It's been a great eight months experience for me to train with the Tottenham players," he added.

Just a few months before and the Portuguese head coach opened up on how the Welshman could get back into his starting XI after struggling for regular opportunities. "He has to do nothing," Mourinho admitted.

"He works very hard, good professional. He has to do nothing.

"There's nothing. He's perfect, works very hard, young guy, wants to learn, very enthusiastic," the 59-year-old added.

"He played already matches that represent a lot. He played important matches against some of the best teams. He has just to wait for his opportunities and to get it."

Although Rodon is likely to have been pleased to hear the praise, it is also frustrating for a player to be working hard off the pitch but still struggling for game time on it. This could be why a move away from N17, whether temporarily or permanently, could be best.

The 24-year-old made just ten appearances in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign for Spurs, with just three of them being in the Premier League. If the plan for Rodon is to go away, get game time and develop to come back a stronger player to slot into Conte's side, then would a move abroad be what's best?

The defender may play under Mourinho, but Rodon has made just 15 features in England's top flight in his career, and a move to a Premier League side would likely be more beneficial if the Welshman wants to become a Premier League star one day. Whichever path the 24-year-old takes, there will be hope that he can continue to develop and maybe one day be a regular at Tottenham.

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