Rodrigo Defendi

Football player infobox
playername = Rodrigo Defendi


fullname = Rodrigo Defendi
height = 188cm
nickname = Rodders
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|6|16
cityofbirth = Ribeirão Preto
countryofbirth = Brazil
currentclub = U.S. Avellino
clubnumber = 27
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2005
2005-2007
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-
clubs = Cruzeiro
Tottenham Hotspur
→Udinese (loan)
→Roma (loan)
U.S. Avellino
caps(goals) = 0 (0)
0 (0)
2 (0)
0 (0)
0 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 7/3/2007
ntupdate =

Rodrigo Defendi (born June 16, 1986 in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil), is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a central defender for Italian Serie B side U.S. Avellino.

A young centre-half signed from the Brazilian club Cruzeiro, who also produced Ronaldo, the appropriately named Defendi is renowned for a deft left foot and a dominance in the air. He was first spotted as a 16-year-old by the then Tottenham Hotspur Director of Sport Frank Arnesen.

He became the first player signed under the ill-fated Frank Arnesen and Jacques Santini era at Spurs from Cruzeiro for a fee of £600,000 on July 3 2004, although he had to wait for his passport to arrive in August for the deal to be officially completed. He failed to make a first team appearnace for Tottenham but has featured in a number of reserve team matches.

He was deemed surplus to requirements by Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, as he was first allowed to travel back to Brazil to seek a contract with a new club which proved unsuccessful, before he was farmed out on loan to Udinese Calcio in January 2006. He made two league appearances before leaving for AS Roma in August 2006, again on loan. He made an appearance in the Champions League and in the Coppa Italia for the capital club, but didn't manage to play a league game in Serie A.

Defendi returned to Tottenham Hotpur from AS Roma after his loan period ended. It was expected that Defendi would look to move on from Tottenham in the summer to gain regular first team football, with a possible return to his native Brazil an option.

On August 9 2007 Tottenham announced his departure to the Italian Serie B club U.S. Avellino on a permanent transfer. [cite news|url=http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/defendideparts090807.html|title=Defendi departs|publisher=Tottenham Hotspur|date=2007-08-09|accessdate=2008-03-08] .

References