By According to Spanish press reports, cited by journalist Matteo Moretto, Barcelona have pulled out of a deal to sign Real Betis player Guido Rodriguez.
Barcelona were close to agreeing a deal for the Argentine midfielder, but with the change of coach from Xavi Hernandez to Hans Flick, the club’s stance has changed.
According to Moretto, Flick is not convinced about signing Rodriguez, unlike his predecessor Xavi who was keen on bringing him in.
This is attributed to the difference in the coaches’ philosophies, with Flick preferring players with different characteristics in midfield to those that Xavi favours.
This backtrack is a major blow to Rodriguez’s hopes of moving to Barcelona, as he was looking forward to a new challenge at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
On the other hand, Barcelona need to reassess their midfield needs, taking into account the new coach Flick’s point of view, before making any further decisions on signings in this position.
