FC Barcelona Close to Signing Argentine Midfielder Guido Rodríguez from Betis

The Argentine midfielder of Betis Guido Rodríguez disputes the ball with an Osasuna player, at the Benito Villamarín stadium (EFE/ Julio Muñoz)

Guido Rodríguez could become a reinforcement for FC Barcelona in the coming days. The Argentine midfielder, who currently belongs to the Betis team in Spain, would have an agreement with the Catalan club and would have the approval of coach Xavi Hernández for the operation to move forward.

In recent weeks, there has been talk in the Spanish media about the possible signing of the 30-year-old player, world champion with the National Team in Qatar 2022 and who emerged from the lower divisions of River Plate, in Barcelona, ​​which in turn needs to reinforce the half court.

“Barcelona and Guido Rodríguez have had a verbal agreement in force for two weeks, approved by Xavi. To sign formal contracts, Barça has to wait for the approval of the Financial Fair Play, but the agreement is still imminent, waiting for the formal steps,” reported the journalist specialized in the transfer market Fabrizio Romano on his social networks.

The contract that Guido Rodríguez would have agreed with Barcelona would be for two years with an option until 2027. The footballer, who also played for América in Mexico between 2017 and 2020, played 173 games with the Betis shirt and scored 9 goals. His contract with the Andalusian club ends on June 30, 2024.

Guido Rodríguez with the Argentine national team shirt in a Qualifying match against Uruguay (REUTERS/Matilde Campodonico)

According to the Spanish media Cope, “there is a total agreement” between the parties but there is still no signed pre-contract and the arrival of Rodríguez is linked to the issue of financial Fair Play that the Catalan institution must resolve. Furthermore, the signing of Guido would be a complement to the midfield, since Xavi’s priority is to incorporate the German Joshua Kimmich and the Spanish Martín Zubimendi.

For its part, Mundo Deportivo published that the Argentine would “bring experience, seniority and personality to a midfield that this season, with the loss of Gavi, has sinned many times.” And he added: “Barça has already discussed everything with the player and his agents and will only wait for the right moment.”

“The Barça club has worked on and is on track – not closed – on its signing. There is a consensus that it is a ‘good, beautiful and cheap’ option,” highlighted the Catalan media Sport in the April 27 edition. They also reported that during these hours there was “a very positive summit between the parties.”

Another indication that marks the progress of Barcelona’s interest in the man born in Sáenz Peña is that the footballer Oriol Romeu, who returned this season but never managed to take the position, would leave the institution, so in that sector of the field Only the variant of the Danish Andreas Christensen would remain, who is actually a central marker but under the leadership of Xavi he managed to adapt to that new position. He also tried himself with names like Frenkie De Jong and Ilkay Gundogan, but both undermined his performance when placed in the center of midfield.

Argentine player Guido Rodríguez celebrates a goal for Betis at the Benito Villamarín stadium in Seville (EFE/ Raúl Caro/File)

“Xavi will meet Guido a year later,” the Madrid newspaper As headlined the article regarding the signing of Rodríguez and added a statement that the Barcelona coach himself told the world champion footballer after a match with Betis in April 2023: “We really like you.”

If the transfer is made, Guido Rodríguez would become the first Argentine footballer to wear the Barcelona shirt after the departure of Sergio Kun Agüero in December 2021. In addition to Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, players of the caliber passed through the culé club Javier Mascherano, Gabriel Milito, Juan Pablo Sorín, Juan Román Riquelme and Javier Saviola, among others.

2024-05-09 17:29:54
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