Manchester United enter race to sign Real Betis star also wanted by Barcelona

It is looking increasingly unlikely that Guido Rodriguez will sign a new contract at Real Betis. The World Cup winning midfielder sees his current deal expire at the end of this season, meaning that he and his representatives can reach a pre-contract agreement with any interested clubs from the start of January.

Barcelona have shown interest in Rodriguez over the last few months, and signing first team players as free agents is something they have done to great effect over the last couple of years. They may choose to do the same with the 29-year-old, especially since they are keen to sign a new pivot in 2024.

However, Barcelona won’t be unopposed for Rodriguez, as Estadio Deportivo have reported that Manchester United have entered the race. They could look to sign Rodriguez in January, meaning that Real Betis would receive a fee, rather than him leaving for nothing six months later.

From a Barcelona perspective, this would be very bad news for their efforts to sign Rodriguez. Their financial situation means that they will not be able to pay out a fee in January, with the focus of doing a deal for next summer instead. At this stage, that actuality looks less likely.