Guido Rodriguez set to exit West Ham, Club World Cup giants push hard
West Ham United will undergo a major summer squad overhaul after the ultimate failure of last summer’s recruitment drive.
The Hammers accumulated a net spend of over £80million as they looked to fire themselves back towards Europe, but many of their arrivals have not hit the heights.
Among them has been Guido Rodriguez, albeit signed as a low-risk free transfer from Real Betis, as he has struggled to adapt to the Premier League.
Rodriguez wanted by River Plate in special transfer window period
Rodriguez has been linked away from West Ham United almost since he signed, having struggled to make his mark in the centre of the park for either Julen Lopetegui nor Graham Potter.
The Argentine World Cup winner has often been mooted for a return to La Liga with Betis, but has now been linked with his homeland and a switch back to boyhood club River Plate.
According to The Sun on Sunday (4 May), Rodriguez is wanted back by River in the summer, with an early opening of the transfer window between 1-10 June ahead of the Club World Cup, in which the Argentine giants will be competing.
The Irons would be making an easy profit on any sale, having picked up Rodriguez for nothing last year, and are likely to sanction moving on the 31-year-old.
Rodriguez has started just 14 Premier League matches this season, ahead of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to the London Stadium (4 May).
West Ham have to get it right this time around
Potter will be as desperate for this season to end as the West Ham fans, given he has been largely unable to turn the tide left after Lopetegui’s sacking.
The Spaniard lasted just 22 games and while Potter will get the opportunity this summer to make his mark on the squad, pressure will quickly mount if they suffer a poor start.
Having spent an unprecedented amount, West Ham finding themselves languishing in 17th is certainly not how anyone envisaged this season, with certain senior players at times carrying the side.
| Guido Rodriguez – pro career | |
| River Plate | 2014-2016 |
| Defensa y Justicia (loan) | 2016 |
| Tijuana | 2016-2017 |
| America | 2017-2020 |
| Real Betis | 2020-2024 |
| WEST HAM UNITED | 2024-present |
| Argentina national team | 2017-present |
Some signings have worked out and will be embedded into the squad long-term, while others will be quickly dispensed with – and it appears Rodriguez is soon to be part of the latter.
River Plate will compete in the Club World Cup between 14 June and 13 July, hosted in the United States and featuring Manchester City and Chelsea from the Premier League.