Barcelona reportedly have agreed the deal to sign Argentina and Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez.
The experienced player is going to replace Oriol Romeu in the Barca squad – but there are even more details you should know about him.
He's a World Cup winner
The defensive midfielder was part of Lionel Scaloni's 26-man squad that made Leo Messi's biggest dream come true. He made just one appearance in Qatar, having played 57 minutes in the 2-0 win against Mexico that was crucial to his team qualifying for the last 16.
Guido spent four years playing in Mexico, so no surprise he got his golden chance exactly that night.
Leo Messi is his inspiration
The 30-year-old once revealed he and the rest of the Argentina squad 'tried to copy' Messi in training.
"Leo is an example to us; his dedication, the way he trains for the national team. We tried to copy him, but of course, you can't copy Lionel Messi."
He once won Man of the Match v Real Madrid
Guido played one of his best career games in March 2023, containing the likes of Karim Benzema, Rodrygo, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Toni Kroos. That day, he covered the entire midfield, won most of his duels while also showing his playmaking qualities.
Betis fan Ian Cassidy brilliantly describes Guido's importance, via The Athletic: "When he's out, the team misses him a lot. He's the sweeper, the man who shores up the defence. Very little gets past him, he's got great vision."
🎉 He is NOT injury-prone 🎉
Despite being in his 30s already, the Argentine has only picked up three injuries in his career, two of them being minor setbacks.
The most recent, however, took place this season when he was forced to spend three months on the sidelines.
He has a rich trophy cabinet
The iconic World Cup aside, Guido has won the Copa America and the Finalissima with Argentina, the Copa del Rey with Real Betis, as well as four major trophies with River Plate and Club America combined.
Quite an impressive list for a player who is yet to emerge at a big club.
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