West Ham have added yet another player to their squad under new manager Julen Lopetegui. Guido Rodríguez joins the Hammers on a free transfer from La Liga side Real Betis.
West Ham Announce Signing of World Cup Winner
Hammers Sign Midfielder Guido Rodríguez
Under new manager Lopetegui, who is known for liking a big squad, West Ham have added Guido Rodríguez to their ranks, a World Cup winner and two-time Copa America champion with Argentina. Rodríguez joins the Hammers from Real Betis on a two-year contract as a free transfer. Betis, where he spent four and a half seasons, finished seventh place last season.
In 2023/24, he played 29 matches in all competitions for the Seville-based club, with five of those appearances coming in the UEFA Europa League. Rodríguez played a total of 173 matches for ‘Los Verdiblancos’, scoring on nine occasions. The signing will reunite him with Edson Álvarez, who played alongside him at Club América in Mexico.
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Rodríguez has been capped by World Cup champions Argentina 30 times, scoring once. He was part of the side that won and retained the Copa America this summer in the United States, albeit, he failed to make a start in the tournament, only coming on as a substitute against Peru.
The defensive midfielder who won Liga MX at Club América alongside Álvarez went on to sign for Real Betis for €4 million. It was during this spell that the 30-year-old won the Copa del Rey under the management of Chilean former West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, winning the club’s fourth major honour in their history, and first since 2005.
Hammers Active in Summer Transfer Window
Lopetegui, evident from his ambitions at Wolves two seasons prior, prefers a large squad to that of his predecessor David Moyes. Due to this, the Hammers have been very active in the transfer window, with West Ham spending more than £100 million so far this summer following the Spaniard’s appointment. This includes Lopetegui signing and reuniting with Max Kilman from Wolves.
Their defence is also rumoured to be strengthened with the club enquiring about free agent Mats Hummels, who left Borussia Dortmund this summer. His signing could be crucial for Lopetegui’s side with Hummels winning the Bundesliga five times. This comes alongside rumours of Kurt Zouma being forced out of the club.
On top of this, West Ham have also strengthened their attacking options. Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme was signed by the Hammers from Brazilian Serie A champions Palmeiras for €23 million. He joins Crysencio Summerville, who joined on a five-year contract for around €29 million. Moreover, and most recently, Rodríguez joins striker Niclas Füllkrug, who was signed this week from Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund for €27 million.
