Joe Rodon: Steve Cooper unsure over Wales defender's Swansea City future
- Published
Joe Rodon has only four Wales caps but already looks an established member of Ryan Giggs' side
Steve Cooper admits he cannot be sure whether Joe Rodon will play for Swansea City again after the defender was ruled out for the rest of the season.
Wales centre-back Rodon, 22, has been linked with both Manchester clubs.
Swansea boss Cooper accepts there may be interest in Rodon but says nothing "has come on the table" yet.
"While he's injured that will stay the same, but if things change in the summer that's a bridge we'll have to cross at that time," he said.
"But I'd be desperate to see Joe back here next season.
"He's a very good player and equally as good a person. He's got exactly the attitude and mentality we want on the pitch."
Academy product Rodon has consistently impressed since breaking into Swansea's first team at the start of the 2018-19 season.
When fit he has been a regular under Cooper and former Swansea boss Graham Potter, with his progress only hindered by a succession of injuries.
The latest setback came when he injured in ankle making a block in training last Sunday.
Asked whether Rodon will wear a Swansea shirt again, Cooper said: "I really hope so.
"He's had a difficult time with injuries. We're gutted for him because he was so desperate to play and the words he was using to me were that he just wants to help the club.
"He really wants to get on the promotion charge and it really hurts him that he's watching on TV.
"Further than that, we don't know is the honest answer.
"Our initial plan is just to get him fit and hopefully with that he can stay fit."
Swansea City must 'fight' to end of season
Rodon is Swansea's biggest asset, and the club's financial situation will have to be considered should a notable offer come in.
Swansea have been cutting costs ever since relegation from the Premier League in 2018 and that pattern was expected to continue this summer even before Covid-19.
Swansea's Championship rivals Wigan went into administration this week with the financial cost of the pandemic being felt across football.
"I think we all know even before I came in that the club was financially resetting and it is absolutely still going through that process," Cooper said.
"I am sure the effects of Covid haven't helped. What it means exactly for the football club going forward, I don't know.
"What I do know is that (chairman) Trevor (Birch) will be up front with people and will let the supporters know the situation."
Swansea have extended the loan deals of Chelsea pair Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher until the end of the season, but fellow loanee Ben Wilmot has returned to Watford after suffering a knee ligament injury at Millwall on Tuesday.
Wilmot is out of Swansea's six remaining regular-season games, but fellow centre-back Mike van der Hoorn is close to a return having been sidelined since January.