Barcelona have made their first signing of next season

A sensational report from SPORT has affirmed that Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign midfielder Guido Rodriguez on a free transfer this summer. He will be the club’s first signing for the upcoming season.

Barcelona have been in talks with the Argentine midfielder for months, quite specifically, ever since the last national team break. 

The negotiation has been led by Deco, who pushed for the deal that had initially been considered last summer.

Despite Rodriguez being one of Xavi’s desired options last summer, no agreement was reached at the time.

A lot of work has gone into Rodriguez’s signing

It is to be noted that Rodriguez’s contract with Betis will come to an end in June, allowing him to join Barcelona on a free transfer. 

During the last FIFA international break, Barcelona’s sporting director met with Rodriguez’s agent to finalize the groundwork for an agreement that will be formalized when the current season concludes.

Interestingly, Barcelona’s plan with Rodriguez is to line him up to fill the void left by Oriol Romeu, who is set to depart. 

Guido Rodriguez becomes Barcelona’s first signing for the next season. (Photo by Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images)

On the other hand, his signing does not mean Barcelona will stop exploring other options for the position, with Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich still being a potential target for the club.

Rodriguez, 30, has been a key player for Betis this season, enjoying a regular spot in the starting lineup.

His move to Barcelona marks an important step in his career and is expected to strengthen the midfield for the Catalan club.

Why Guido Rodriguez?

It must be remembered that Barcelona’s financial situation affects their ability to scout new talent. 

Even though they have managed to offload costly contracts, they are still dealing with budget limitations. 

In this scenario, Rodriguez emerged as an appealing choice as his acquisition would not involve much spending since he would arrive as a free agent. 

At the same time, for someone like Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi, the team from Catalonia will have to spend a fortune.