The striker has joined Bournemouth from Elche in Spain, having played for Getafe and Real Madrid in his senior career.
At 6’3”, Rodríguez is a tall striker and a physical presence.
Read more:
He has also been praised for his ability to read the game and has good movement for his height.
The 22-year-old is a hard worker and applies himself defensively, too, which will please Cherries fans who are looking for an evolution of the tactical approach that served them so well under Andoni Iraola with new boss Marco Rose.
Rose will no doubt be happy with the signing, too, having previously attempted to bring him to RB Leipzig when he was head coach there.
(Image: AFC Bournemouth)
Good in the air, he will provide a presence up top – and perhaps a much-needed boost to the team’s height for offensive, and defensive, set pieces, too.
His technical ability for his height is excellent, and he can be deployed out wide as well, if needed.
Rodríguez will provide good competition to Evanilson and will complement the Brazilian striker, giving different profiles to the front line, meaning different options for Rose off the bench, or to give the team a different complexion should he start both.
He is, crucially for fans and other clubs, not a Junior Kroupi replacement, with the young Frenchman not for sale this summer.
(Image: AFC Bournemouth)
Rodríguez started his career at Girona, close to where he was born in Palamós.
Aged 16, he moved to Real Madrid to join their famous academy, progressing through the age groups to their second side, Real Madrid Castilla, under boss and Madrid legend Raúl González.
Son and great-nephew of two Uruguayan footballers, Coquito and Climaco Rodríguez, he switched nations from Spain to Uruguay after representing the country of his birth at U18 level, before playing for the South American nation’s U20s.
After progressing into Madrid Castilla, he made 79 appearances for the team, scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists, the majority of those playing through the middle, but sometimes deployed on the left wing.
(Image: AFC Bournemouth)
His form for Raúl’s side earned him a promotion to the first team aged 18 with Karim Benzema struggling for fitness, and he made an immediate impact.
He came off the bench against Osasuna for his debut and set up Vinícius Júnior for a goal that was chalked off, before providing an assist for Marco Asensio, this time that stood.
Rodríguez again came off the bench in Madrid’s next game against rivals Atletico and rose highest to head home a Luka Modric corner for his first senior goal and a late equaliser to earn Los Blancos a point.
Those were the first two of ten appearances for the Spanish giants, before a loan move to Getafe for the 2024/25 season – opting to stay in Spain despite interest from Rose’s RB Leipzig.
There, he got regular minutes in La Liga, although primarily off the bench.
(Image: AFC Bournemouth)
He made 15 substitute appearances and started seven league games in his season for the Madrid club, scoring twice in the league.
He also started all four of Getafe’s games as they reached the round of 16 in the Copa del Rey, and in that tie, at Pontevedra, Rodríguez scored the only goal of the game to fire the club into the quarter-finals.
But he was shown a straight red card after 41 minutes to rule him out of the final eight game, which saw Atletico cruise to a 5-0 win and to knock Getafe out.
That summer brought a permanent move away from the Bernabéu to Elche for the 25/26 campaign, and Rodríguez impressed.
Seven goals and five assists came in 34 league appearances, including strikes against both his former club Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In total, Rodríguez has made 63 top flight appearances in Spain and nine in the Copa del Rey, and he becomes the first signing of the Rose reign at AFC Bournemouth.