Celtic and Bournemouth target Álvaro Rodríguez
Celtic and Bournemouth target Álvaro Rodríguez
Bournemouth appeared to be closing in on Álvaro Rodríguez this week, but the transfer has taken an unexpected twist after the striker returned to Spain. This happened despite him already completing his medical.
The Cherries have been working on a deal for the Elche forward. Everything seemed to be moving towards a quick conclusion after Rodríguez travelled to the UK earlier this week.
However, a fresh report from Deporte Valenciano explains why the move is still yet to be completed.
Medical completed, but deal still on hold
According to the Spanish outlet, Rodríguez successfully underwent his medical with Bournemouth on Tuesday, a step that usually comes right at the end of a transfer.
Despite that, the operation remains unfinished. Bournemouth and Elche have still not reached a definitive agreement over the transfer.
The report explains that the 21-year-old returned to Spain on Thursday. He landed back at Alicante-Elche Airport after leaving the UK without the clubs signing off on the deal.
That has left the transfer in an unusual situation. Rodríguez has already completed what is normally one of the final formalities before a move is announced. Yet he is once again waiting in Spain while negotiations continue behind the scenes.
Deporte Valenciano states that Elche continue to value the operation at close to €25m (£21.6m) in fixed payments and bonuses, with discussions between the two clubs still ongoing.
Waiting for the green light
The latest report makes it clear that Rodríguez’s return to Alicante should not be interpreted as the transfer collapsing.
Instead, the player is simply waiting for Bournemouth and Elche to resolve the remaining details. He will travel back to England to complete the move after that.
That means the next stage of the transfer is entirely in the hands of the two clubs rather than the player. He has already passed his medical and is ready for the move to go through.
According to Deporte Valenciano, the coming hours are expected to be decisive. If Bournemouth and Elche can bridge the remaining gap in negotiations, Rodríguez would be expected to return to England and complete the transfer.
For now, though, a deal that looked to be entering its final stages has unexpectedly paused, with Bournemouth still needing to find an agreement before they can officially welcome the striker.