If his West Ham United career is to end after just one Premier League season, at least Guido Rodriguez can depart the London Stadium having ticked one ambition off his footballing bucket list.
The Argentina international made his first West Ham United start since January’s defeat by Crystal Palace. Only his third since Graham Potter succeeded Julen Lopetegui.
And, with the occasion getting a little bit too much even for the most experienced of operators, Guido Rodriguez was left visibly emotional after triumphing at Old Trafford.
West Ham were the victors away to Manchester United for the first time since Carlos Tevez saved their skin on the final day of the 2006/07 season, turning Neil Warnock’s face a deep shade of puce in the process.
If this is was to be one of Rodriguez’s last acts in a West Ham shirt – the former Real Betis ace was a dependable presence at the heart of Potter’s midfield on Sunday afternoon – then there are certainly worse ways to bow out even if his short-lived stay in English football has undoubtedly been a considerable disappointment.
West Ham United could make a profit as Guido Rodriguez nears River Plate return
Barcelona wanted Guido Rodriguez before he made a high-profile switch to the London Stadium last summer. And, as he helped dictate proceedings from his deep-lying role at Old Trafford, it was easy to envisage what Barca saw in the 2022 World Cup winner.
The problem is, for all his qualities in possession, Rodriguez lacks the pace or the mobility without the ball to truly thrive in the helter-skelter nature of the Premier League.
Hence, West Ham are looking to move the £75,000-a-week midfielder out the door ahead of the summer window.
A return to Argentina, meanwhile, is now gathering pace. River Plate are in talks to bring Guido Rodriguez back to the club where he started his career a decade ago.
And while the reaction to his seemingly inevitable departure will be one of frustration given the disparity between the initial expectations and his eventual impact, The Hammers could still console themselves with a sizeable profit on a high-earning 31-year-old who arrived on a free transfer only a year previously.
Reporter and River Plate-specialist Renzo Pantich believes it is only a matter of time before Rodriguez is wearing the red and white shirt again. He also believes that, with two years left on his contract, West Ham could bring in up to £6 million from a summer sale.
“Both River and Guido Rodriguez will try,” Pantich explains. “I think you can get him out for six or eight million dollars.
“Sooner rather than later, he’ll end up becoming a reinforcement. I don’t want to give a date but Guido Rodriguez will play for River.”
Rodriguez explains his emotional reaction to Hammers’ Manchester United win
That shock inclusion against Manchester United, meanwhile, was only his 15th Premier League start of a forgettable campaign.
“It was about three months without playing,” a weepy Rodriguez wrote on social media after Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen secured a 2-0 win at Old Trafford. “After so much endurance and effort, today was a reward.
“Little Guido – who watched the Premier League and the games at Old Trafford on Sunday mornings at home, dreaming of being a soccer player one day – would be very proud of what he became today.
“Of what he achieved with his drive and dedication. Of how he enjoyed and continues to enjoy the process. Of how he cried after the game.
“And of how he continues to pursue and work for his dreams.”
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