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Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez recently opened up on his future amid rumors of interest from Barcelona. The Argentina international has entered the final 12 months of his contract with the club.
The Blaugrana are reportedly on the lookout for another signing to make up for the departure of Sergio Busquets, who was a mainstay in the Barcelona midfield for over a decade.
Rodriguez has now added fuel to the rumors, saying he is weighing his options as he approaches the expiry of his contract with Betis. However, he was quick to add that is happy at his current club.
“We are weighing our options. It’s not an easy decision. We are happy at Betis, we play an important part in the team, and we have a good bond,” he said on the podcast La Capitana (via Mundo Deportivo).
The 29-year-old midfielder was part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning team in Qatar.
Barcelona yet to completely replace Sergio Busquets
Barcelona signed both Oriol Romeu and Ilkay Gundogan in the summer transfer window earlier this year to make up for Busquets' departure. However, both those players are over 30 years of age and are not long-term solutions.
Therefore, the club could think of entering the market for another midfield addition next summer. Earlier this year, Xavi stressed the need for a player who can sit back and defend like Busquets. He was quoted by SPORT as saying:
"Whoever is the most complete, whoever is the best pivot to replace Busquets. We depend on fair play and the economic situation. The profile must be a very decisive player, a player who is strong to win duels and is intelligent, technically sound. (That's) the natural replacement for Busi."
He added:
"Yes, there have been some. Samper, Oriol Romeu? Yaya Toure had to leave, a spectacular player. We've been lucky that Busquets has never been injured. Players eventually decide that they have to leave. Now it's time to find a replacement because we're not sure if we have one at home.
"We have to find that piece if we want to compete next year. It's fundamental. Busi has been vital this year, very important. We have to find a very important player. It is key to be able to compete next season."
