Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Guido Rodriguez for over a year, with AS claiming that £18 million may be enough to lure the Real Betis midfielder to the Premier League during the summer transfer window.
While they may not be facing financial collapse like a Barcelona side whose debts have spiraled to somewhere in excess of £800 million, Betis have been hit hard by the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result, there is a very real chance that one of the most influential defensive midfielders in La Liga may be available for £50 million less than first thought.
When reports linking Rodriguez with a move to Arsenal first emerged back in March, a £68 million release-clause meant a potential move to North London felt like a non-starter.
If the 27-year-old is available for just £18 million, however, that is a different story altogether.
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A reduced price-tag would make Rodriguez a more affordable option than the likes of Yves Bissouma, Ruben Neves and Sander Berge, even if he cannot match the Premier League trio for pure technical ability.
What’s more, Mundo Deportivo claim that Arsenal have been watching Rodriguez closely ever since he arrived at the Estadio Benito Villamarin from Club America in January 2020.
Betis paid just shy of £3 million at the time and, some 18 months later, look destined to make a massive profit on a midfielder in the Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg mould; an aggressive, disciplined, defensively-minded enforcer also capable of breaking the lines with his piercing passes.
Rodriguez admitted a few weeks ago that he felt ‘honoured’ to be linked with a move to Arsenal.
Liverpool were also mentioned as a potential destination for the ex-River Plate youngster, although that particular trail has grown cold of late.
Furthermore, with Real Betis looking to turn Hector Bellerin’s boyhood dream into a reality, a potential swap deal could drive down Rodriguez’s price even further.
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