West Ham United set for final talks after Guido Rodriguez contract demands accepted
West Ham are set for a final meeting with Guido Rodriguez’s camp to finalise the agreement to sign him, Yağız Sabuncuoğlu reports.
According to the Sports Digitale journalist via X on 2 August the Argentina international has made the Irons his first choice and a last set of talks are due the same day to get the deal over the line.
The Hammers have reportedly accepted the contract demands of the 30-year-old, and Varsky Sports (2 August) have reported there is a verbal agreement now in place.
It appears the club are set to overcome competition from former side Real Betis and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce who have both also made approaches to the free agent midfielder in recent days [Sports Digitale, 2 August].
Julen Lopetegui on brink of new West Ham midfielder
Tim Steidten has already secured Luis Guilherme and Max Kilman as headline Irons signings, and the less glitzy deal for Wes Foderingham as back up keeper.
But there was a clear need for a lot more and time is running out before the Premier League season starts.
Julen Lopetegui will want to get his new era off to a fast start after replacing David Moyes this summer so getting a deal done for Rodriguez looks like a welcome boost when Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville is also arriving imminently [Sky Sports, 2 August].
Much-needed progress is therefore being made and Rodriguez’s arrival will sure up a midfield unit that has Edson Alvarez coming back from injury, while the club decided against reintegrating Flynn Downes and sold him back to Southampton.
Whether the World Cup and Copa America-winner’s arrival might signal another incumbent moves on remains to be seen, with potential question marks over James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek assuming this deal goes through.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s arrival from Manchester United has looked logical for days now that they want Noussair Mazraoui in at Old Trafford [Fabrizio Romano, 29 July] and although that is still dragging on the signs are positive [Dharmesh Sheth, 31 August].
But it still up front where the biggest requirement remains and neither Jhon Duran or Niclas Fullkrug have yet been secured.
In other West Ham news, a counter-offer has arrived at the London Stadium for that crucial striker transfer after late-night talks.
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