Chavi's Target Moves Further Away from Barcelona

One of Xavi's targets, the former Barcelona coach, has taken another step away from a move to Barça next season. Barcelona, at Xavi's recommendation, had reached an agreement with Guido Rodríguez, a midfielder from Real Betis, for a free transfer to Barça this summer. However, the Catalan giant decided to postpone the Guido Rodríguez deal following the appointment of German coach Hans Flick. According to the newspaper "Sport," Rodríguez is now close to definitively distancing himself from Barcelona, having entered negotiations for a transfer to Atalanta on a free deal. It was noted that Rodríguez has already informed Atalanta of his terms, seeking a three-year contract along with a signing bonus. The newspaper also stated that Flick prefers the duo of Joshua Kimmich and Martín Zubimendi over the option of signing Rodríguez for free. "Sport" revealed that Deco, Barça's sporting director, was also not keen on signing Rodríguez during Xavi's tenure, viewing the player merely as a financially beneficial (free) option.