Barcelona given brilliant transfer update by club president

Tom Weber

• Updated: 21 Feb 2024 16:41 GMT
• 3 min read

Real Betis' president has confirmed that their contract offer to sought-after midfielder Guido Rodriguez has expired.

The World Cup winner is in demand. Rodriguez has been starring for Real Betis for some time and was even rewarded with a call-up to the Argentina squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 29-year-old's contract is up at the end of the season, which has seen him become a sought-after commodity, particularly for LaLiga's elite. Despite concerns about his age, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have been hot on his heels for months, with the latter especially interested in the Argentine due to their devastating financial issues.

Signing Rodriguez for nothing would solve one of Barcelona's biggest problems for at least a few years. The Blaugrana still have not found an adequate replacement for Sergio Busquets, with 32-year-old Oriol Romeu failing to impress in that role this season.

Yet, despite the clear need for a new holding midfielder, Barcelona's links with Rodriguez have gone quiet in recent weeks, though they could be reignited in light of the fresh news coming out of Real Betis.

Contract offer expired

The Sevilla-based club naturally want to tie another one of their star midfielders down to a new deal, as they already managed to do with ex-Real Madrid star Isco in December. Rodriguez, however, has thus far shown little desire to commit his future to Betis.

“At the time we made him an offer, an offer that has expired,” president Angel Haro has revealed. “If he wants to continue at the club we will have to sit down again and talk. Guido is a very committed guy, he is looking forward to returning as soon as possible [from his injury]. Whether he stays at Betis, I’m not sure.”

“The player is not opposed to talking. The days go by… Football is like that, when a player has less than six months left and you have been trying to renew for a year and the agent doesn’t want to, you may think that he doesn’t renew.”