Arsenal have joined Premier League rivals West Ham United in the race to sign Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, as per a report in Fichajes.
The Hammers have been keeping tabs on the 27-year-old for quite some time now but they will now face some stiff competition from their fellow London rivals as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his midfield options.
Who is Guido Rodriguez?
Guido Rodriguez is primarily a central midfielder who joined Betis in January of 2020 and within just a short span of time, he has impressed many with his performances in the La Liga.
During the summer, he was even being linked with Liverpool as the Anfield outfit were looking for a long-term replacement for Gini Wijnaldum. But one way or the other those rumours did not materialize into anything concrete.
This season, he’s played in 10 league matches and as per Fotmob, he has a rating of 7.52 out of 10 which is phenomenal.
His current deal with Real Betis expires in 2024 and his market value stands at £19.8 million. In the summer, the Spanish club were quoting absurd prices for Rodriguez but the latest reports suggest he will be available for around £25 million.
Should Arsenal and West Ham United make a move for him?
The Hammers are expected to have a busy January window but we don’t think someone like Guido Rodriguez will rank very high on Moyes’ wishlist.
The manager has two of the best central midfielder’s in the world in the form of Declan Rice and Soucek. And he’s also got Mark Noble as a backup.
While the price tag is within West Ham’s reach but they will not want to inflate it too much by entering into a battle with Arsenal.
Arsenal too have proper players in that area of the pitch but some of the midfielders could leave in January so Guido Rodriguez will be a good backup buy for them.
Even the Gunners do not need to push really hard during the middle of the season to see this deal through meaning there’s a big chance that Guido Rodriguez will remain unsold in January.
Arsenal though are expected to look for a long-term replacement for Granit Xhaka at the end of the season and maybe then they can make a move for the Real Betis man.
