Jose Mourinho has backed Joe Rodon to become a success at Tottenham Hotspur, but says the Welshman needs to 'grow up' before he is ready for the Premier League.
Rodon, who joined Spurs during the final hours of the domestic transfer window, has been training with Spurs over the last week, and has seemingly made a big impression at the club since his arrival.
Having seen their side squander a 3-0 lead at home to West Ham United on Sunday, many Spurs fans have already suggested that Rodon should soon be given a first team chance.
Those calls have obviously come against the backdrop of a glowing recommendation from Swansea City fans, many of whom believe the fee paid by Spurs should have been much higher.
However, Mourinho, who was speaking exclusively to the club's official app, is keen to keep expectations in check.
“He’s a very young player, that didn’t play one single match in the Premier League so calm down,” he said.
“It’s a very important position in the team’s structure, centre-back, so he needs to grow up. How fast depends on him. That’s the question.
“He’s a kid with very good qualities. He’s strong, he’s tall, he’s good in the air, he’s fast, he likes a duel and a challenge."
Despite training with his team-mates this week, Rodon is ineligible to play in Thursday's Europa League clash with LASK, with Mourinho suggesting the former Swansea City star may well have played had he been signed before they had submitted their European squad.
“It’s a pity he cannot play in the Europa League but we need him," he added. "He plays in one of the positions where we needed that man to finish the puzzle.
“I like him very much. I like his mentality and focus in training. We are going to have a good player there.”
