According to reports this week, Rennes cannot afford to buy Joe Rodon this summer, and Nottingham Forest would be prudent to try to pounce rather than pursue Conor Coady.
Rodon could be on the market again soon. Steve Cooper is familiar with the Wales defender from their time together at Swansea, and he’d be a better signing than Conor Coady, who has been linked with a transfer to the Reds.
Rodon has just returned from a loan spell at Rennes. He played alongside Djed Spence for the second half of the season, with Rennes finishing fourth after a strong season in Ligue 1.
During his loan stay with Rennes, the centre-back made 22 games. Ideally, he would have relished the opportunity to play more, and the 25-year-old will be hungry for more senior games next season.
His next move will not be to Rennes. “As for Joe, there is a very high purchase option,” their director Maurice informed Fabrizio Romano. Obviously, we won’t be able to raise that sum.”
Cooper admires Rodon. After a performance against Preston (BBC) in 2020, the Forest head coach referred to him as a ‘pure defender’ and a ‘great’ defender.
Forest should choose Rodon to Coady.
Nothing against Coady, who earns £62,000 a week and is still one of the game’s best professionals. He is a credit to his profession because of the way he conducts himself as a footballer.
His finest days, though, may be behind him at the age of 30. Last season, Sean Dyche at Everton dropped him to the bench for the second part of the season.
Coady has the advantage of being usable as part of a back three. However, signing him and paying a fee would be a short-term solution, which Forest may aim to avoid this summer.
Rodon is still developing as a player. At 25, he still has his best years ahead of him, and he may see Cooper as the man who can get him back to his best and producing on a consistent basis.
The Wales international would be more expensive than Coady. Still, he’d be a greater investment for Forest, and this may be a better alternative to pursue this summer.
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