One of the less successful pieces of transfer business of last summer is set to be reversed when the Premier League 2025 season concludes: It is rare for both club and player to be in accord on an exit from London Stadium after less than twelve months but in this case West Ham, the player and his new club will all see it as a satisfactory outcome. From a Hammers’ fans perspective, the more exciting part of this will be seeing Freddie Potts (main pic) – currently out on a season long loan at Portsmouth – step up to fill the departing player’s boots at London Stadium!
West Ham maintained that although midfielder Guido Rodriguez was signed last summer on a ‘free’ transfer, the Hammers did make a significant player signing – on fee payment, so whilst clubs wanted to take him on a ‘free’ transfer in the winter window just gone, West Ham would not let him leave for ‘free’ and wanted to recoup their costs. It does look as though that approach has been vindicated, with Spanish site orgullobiri reporting that talks are already advanced for a summer transfer between The Hammers and Real Betis who have ‘set their sights’ on Rodriguez returning to the club he left:
“Real Betis has set its sights on Guido Rodríguez, the Argentine midfielder of West Ham United, to strengthen his midfield.” the report reads.
Happier times ahead for Guido Rodriguez
“Betis has started talks with West Ham to finalize their return. As reported, the price of the signing would be set at about 3 million euros, an amount similar to what the English club paid for him at the time.”
Rodriguez will be relieved – he was quoted as realising early in the Autumn that he’d made a mistake coming to the Premier League and a sale for €3 million will recoup West Ham’s outlay last August when Lopetegui brought the Argentine World Cup winner to East London. We hope common sense prevails and the deal is concluded swiftly, sending Rodriguez back where he wants to be. Rodrigues departing and Freddie Potts returning. Just proves the old proverb ‘everything comes to he who waits’.
It’s a shame it hasn’t worked out,thought he would be a great signing as a deep lying playmaker. Seems also like a profile of player that Potter likes, slightly older good passer, like Lallana that with legs around them can really make a difference.
Whether Potts is good enough we will see in the summer, will be great if he is and awesome to see our academy players making it, hopefully Orford can establish himself too.
He will earn a good chunk of the 3 million in wages he gets from Jan to July!
Typical West Ham good news that Freddie Potts will at last get the opportunity he deserves and Rodriguez will be leaving. Bad news Everton just gone above us under Moyes and we have slipped to 16th 2 places above the relegation zone!
100%, whats more shocking is how good Moyes has them playing, lol, yes, he set us up well, but along the ride made some strange / shocking decisions. From what I see at Everton, he’s doing everything right.. guessing the break did him good tbf… In Potter we trust !!
Clickbaity with the Pick Martin…but what do you expect from this site…..
Yep, I thought the same. Thought it was going to be a story about young Potts leaving, but no. Click bait at its best…again.