Real Betis vice president provides update on future of Atlético Madrid target Guido Rodríguez | OneFootball

José Miguel López Catalán, vice president of La Liga outfit Real Betis, has on Thursday provided a fresh insight into the club’s stance on the future of star midfielder Guido Rodríguez.

The situation of Argentine international Guido has of course taken its place front and centre in the Spanish media headlines for some time now.

This comes amid long-standing interest in his services on the part of several of La Liga’s top clubs.

Both Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are understood to have made recent efforts to land Guido, ahead of the expiration of his contract with Real Betis in the summer.

It is the latter, though, who have since gone on to establish themselves as the heavy favourites for his signature.

Speaking to the media earlier today, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of his side’s engine room standout was put to the aforementioned López Catalán.

And though the Betis chief was not shy in admitting that the club’s most recent contract offer was rejected by Guido, he also went on to confirm the plans of the Verdiblancos brass to make one final push to tie the 29-year-old down to fresh terms:

“We have always had a magnificent relationship with Guido,” López Catalán informed Cope Sevilla, as cited by Mundo Deportivo. “Since he came he has been an example of professionalism and dedication and of being an important player for us. We have been trying to renew Guido for a long time. A year and a half or two. We also understand his position.

“It’s a bit like what Ángel (Haro) meant. We have had many moments of negotiation, we made several offers. The last one expired in January and was not accepted by him. With normality, the time to sit down will surely come again because his contract has months left. We offered him the renewal when he was injured but we are not in a moment of tension.”

López Catalán concluded:

“We understand that in his career now a great Champions League club may come in or a stratospheric financial offer from Arabia will arrive or whatever and in the end he has to make his decisions. If he does not continue we will give him an important farewell and we will thank him for what he has done, and each one will continue their path. I tell the Betis people that we are working on it.”

Conor Laird | GSFN