Guido Rodriguez: West Ham's Midfield Kingpin

It has been a busy summer for West Ham in their first window under Julen Lopetegui, with the club splurging £123.4 million on a plethora of high-profile signings ranging from Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Max Kilman. However, their best piece of business may end up being a free transfer, if Guido Rodríguez's first few weeks in East London are anything to go by.

At 30 years of age, Rodríguez boasts a decade of experience at the top level including Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana titles at boyhood club River Plate as well as a Liga MX Apertura title and a Copa MX Clausura title with América. Rodríguez left Mexico in January 2020 and joined Real Betis, where he would proceed to emerge as one of the first names on Manuel Pellegrini's team sheet and add a Copa del Rey to his resume. Today, he has taken his talents to the British capital, where he is tasked with filling a Declan Rice-sized shape hole in midfield.

Rodríguez led Betis to a 7th-place finish and a return to Europe, making 24 appearances in La Liga (21 being starts) and added yet another international trophy to his résumé with a second Copa América title with Argentina. Having racked up 30 caps for the Albiceleste, he has won two Copas, a World Cup as well as La Finalissima, and he hasn't taken long to make an impact in the Premier League, starting in each of their first three league matches.

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