Swansea City manager Steve Cooper has responded to the transfer speculation surrounding Joe Rodon.

Rodon, 22, was this week linked with a summer move to Manchester City. The Swansea academy graduate is enjoying his second season in the first-team, and last week made his return from injury, starting in the heart of the defence during the 1-1 draw at Preston.

He'd been absent for a few weeks but has come straight back into the team and shown why the club regard him so highly, and now he could be on his way to the Premier League champions in the summer.

City have been without a leader since the departure of Vincent Kompany in the summer, and centre-back is a position they've struggled with all season.

Rodon now looks like he could become a target of Pep Guardiola's in the summer, and here's what Cooper had to say to Wales Online in his press conference today:

"I think any good player in the league will be linked with moves. It’s amazing, we just come out of the January window and here we go, we’re answering questions straight away.

"I think for Joe and all of the boys, they’ve got to focus on playing well and training well and in the end your ability takes you to where you belong. If that’s a higher one for any of our boys then I’m sure they’ll have the opportunity to get there."

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Rodon started alongside Marc Guehi in defence at the weekend, and put in a commanding performance in what was his first start for the Swans since October.

"We just felt that he looked well enough in training to go straight back into the team," explained Cooper. "He proved us right really and he reminded us of his level of play, he’s just got to keep it going now."

Swansea host Derby County this weekend, and a win could take them to within one point of the top-six.

The verdict

Everyone at Swansea knows how good Rodon is, and many would expect him to move on to bigger and better things in the future. Few would've expected City to be in for him though.

He's a quality leader and footballer, and should have no issues in stepping up to the top-flight. He could find game-time hard to come by at City though, and with some stiff competition already at the club, he may think twice about joining forces with Guardiola in the summer.