Former Valencia star Rodrigo is looking ahead to the 2021-22 Premier League season at Leeds United.

“It’s like the first day back in school,” quipped Real Madrid prodigy Rodrigo.

“Everyone is happy and excited, they want to start training as soon as possible.

“It’s good to see everyone back again. For me it is a pleasure to train with the guys. I think we have an amazing atmosphere in the dressing room.

“We have a very competitive team but also very respectful between each other. So, I am very happy and excited to be here again with the guys.

“We have a good amount of time to prepare ourselves for the next season. Everyone knows that it will be harder than the last one.

“The opponents know us better, so it will be really tough. Last season maybe the expectation of us was less.

“I think this year we show we have the level to be between the best so the expectation will be higher, that is natural,” said Rodrigo.

Forward Rodrigo who joined up with his Spanish national team prior to the Euro 2020 tournament, before returning home said: “It was a little bit different, it was good I spent a lot of time with my family and friends.

“All the people I saw, I didn’t have the opportunity to see during the season because of Covid, so they couldn’t come.

“It was a little bit different because I went to the national team for one week so it was good to see everyone there and then recover for the next season.

“I am very happy, I think everyone is looking forward to next season and is very excited to continue showing our level in the Premier League,” Rodrigo told LUTV.

Rodrigo who made 141 appearances for Valencia, prior to joining Leeds in August 2020 in a £27m move, said: “Last season I had a lot of small breaks during the whole season, with Covid and different small injuries.

“This is not good for any player so that is it, I am preparing myself in the best way to do my best during the season.

“Everyone knows pre-season is hard, we train a lot, a lot of tests and everything but it’s an important part of the year.

“We prepare the body again for a very hard and long season, it’s true it is hard but it is necessary and important!”.

Caption: Rodrigo made £27m move from Valencia to Leeds.