Jack Rudoni appears to be a player bound for the Championship with AFC Wimbledon having rejected bids this summer from Huddersfield Town and Sunderland, five months after the Black Cats were unsuccessful in an approach for the 21-year-old in January.
Contrary to national reports, Bristol City have not made a formal offer for the attacking midfielder but Rudoni is very much a player of interest, albeit one who they’re not in a position to consider purchasing until they make sales elsewhere.
He does fit the brief, like many over the last 12 months, of being an impressive EFL talent with considerable potential who not only offers benefits in the short term, but from a financial perspective could earn a club a significant profit further down the line, should he be developed in the right way.
Rudoni, who’s emerged through the Wimbledon academy, has accumulated considerable first-team experience even though he only turned 21 last week; he’s made 106 appearances for the Dons over three seasons, mostly in a struggling team, and has increasingly been the focal point of their attack.
To find out a little more about the talented young midfielder, we spoke to South London Press’ AFC Wimbledon correspondent Edmund Brack for the lowdown on the player.
What sort of player is he?
He’s not a winger, as such, although he can play on the left. He’s really best served through the middle but Mark Bowen and Mark Robinson played him left of a three. He can play anywhere, really: second striker, centre midfielder, he even played up front on his own once, which didn’t work out too well.
He’s quite direct. When he picks up the ball, his first thought is always to go towards goal. It’s a 1-2 and then he’s off. He’s quite fearless Anyone his age, they could be affected by the winless run AFC Wimbledon went through last season (the Dons failed to win 28 games in all competitions from December 11 through to the end of the season) but he continued to put in performances, and he nearly kept them up alongside Ayoub Assal and Luke McCormick.
What would be his strengths?
Last season, he really came into his own with his finishing. The previous season there were flashes of what he could do - four goals and three assists - but in 2021/22 he became the focal point of the team; to get 19 goal contributions (12 goals and five assists) shows how important he was.
He rightfully won the player of the year award. The goals he scored, there were some that stood out but most were ones that a finisher would score. He said he’s been watching clips of Cristiano Ronaldo, that’s how he developed his finishing. He’s quite good with his head.
His goals are often Frank Lampard-esque in terms of his ability to arrive late into the box and finish off moves.
He was the main guy to get the goals, which is a lot of pressure on a 20-year-old. But that’s going to be one of his strengths, to have played more than 100 games at this level and the character-building experience of fighting relegation, and that winless run will only make him a better player in the long run. It’s a decent level of experience heading into his fourth season of professional football.
What are his weaknesses?
I would say his decision-making. He created a lot of chances and scored a lot of goals but he can sometimes be a bit braver and shoot more or look up when the right pass is on. But it would be interesting to see what he’s like with better players around him because there’s been a lot of pressure placed upon him and that’s something he’ll surely learn and develop.
He’s somebody who plays a lot older than you think. You often have to remind yourself that he’s only 20. He’d be an excellent signing for any Championship club. He’s definitely someone who has that potential.
How would you describe his personality and character?
He’s clearly level-headed. When you get someone who’s a youngster that’s come through an academy like AFC Wimbledon’s or another club further down the league, there’s a rawness about them that excites you, because you can see that potential and what they can do, if it can be cultivated in the right environment and directed to the right path.
He reminds you of someone like Keane Lewis-Potter who did really well for Hull City last season after shining in League One. Jack is someone who can make the step up. I never saw, against the likes of Sunderland and the bigger clubs in the division, that he’d shy away from the opposition or defences that would kick lumps out of him. He’s quite bold, he’d take the game to them.
What’s your gut feeling over his future in south London?
I’m 99 per cent certain he’ll leave. He’s got 12 months left on his contract; Wimbledon turned down two approaches in January from Sunderland and Barnsley; he’s ready for the next step and it’s time for him to make it.
I’d be slightly concerned if it was somewhere he wouldn’t play regular football because he’s kicking into his groove now, starting to find goals consistently and starting to get on the ball more, so - if I was him - I’d want to be playing regularly.
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