West Ham’s season has unravelled badly.
Results have been scarce, performances have dipped, and the club find themselves locked in a relegation battle with pressure mounting on Nuno Espírito Santo. Amid the chaos, several squad players have been left on the fringes — and one in particular now looks increasingly likely to move on.
One of the most marginalised figures at the London Stadium has been Guido Rodríguez. The Argentine midfielder arrived with pedigree but has barely featured, despite coming close to leaving in the summer. Instead, he has spent most of the campaign warming the bench.
Rodríguez has managed just 166 minutes of Premier League football, starting only two matches, and his lack of involvement has inevitably fuelled speculation about a January exit.
That interest now appears to be turning serious.
Juventus Make Contact with Rodríguez’s Representatives
Lucas Paqueta, Guido Rodriguez. (REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli)
According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Juventus have opened fresh lines of communication with the representatives of Guido Rodríguez, with the midfielder’s name said to be very much on the club’s shortlist.
West Ham are already active in the January window.
The arrivals of Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente and Taty Castellanos from Lazio underline the club’s intent to address their attacking woes. At the same time, departures are also being prioritised to ease the wage bill.
Niclas Füllkrug has already moved on to AC Milan, while Luis Guilherme is set to join Sporting Lisbon. Rodríguez could now follow them out of the exit door.
The 31-year-old joined West Ham on a free transfer from Real Betis last year, signing a two-year contract that runs until the end of the season.
The Hammers do hold an option to extend the deal by a further year, but that clause may simply serve to protect value rather than signal a long-term future.
Reports back in November suggested Rodríguez was already exploring an exit, and Juventus’ renewed approach suggests a move could materialise quickly if terms can be agreed.
Rodríguez’s West Ham spell has never truly got going, and with Juventus circling, January could offer a clean break for both player and club.
As West Ham reshuffle their squad in a bid to survive, moving on an underused senior player may be one of the few straightforward decisions available.