From media sources earlier today, and as written about on The72, Leeds United are said nearing the capture of 144-cap Mexico international Andres Guardado.
The sources in the British media, emanate from Spanish website El Gol Digital (EDG) who say that Guardado’s side Real Betis are ready to “open the briefcase” and begin to negotiate with Leeds United over the transfer of the multi-capped Mexican international who counts Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and PSV Eindhoven amongst his former clubs.
The fee that is being bandied around for the 31-year-old midfielder is £5.2 million – quite a substantial fee for one of such an age, even if he has nearly 150 international caps. This is noted in EGD who say that the Whites are willing “to offer six million (Euros) for his transfer,” before going on to say that this would be acceptable to Betis, “for both age and return on investment.”
Apart from the above, the ‘news’, very little is really known about the Guadalajara-born defensive midfielder. Here are five things to put Leeds United fans a little more in the know.
5 things about Andrés Guardado for Leeds United fans
1. Early football in Mexico: Guardado turned out for local club Atlas Guadalajara, who he joined as a youngster. He made his way up the age groups, eventually breaking through into the first team in the summer before the start of the 2005/06 season. Guardado featured 36 times for the Mexican side, scoring five goals and providing five assists. Two seasons after breaking into the Atlas side, Guardado was whisked into European football, La Liga side Deportivo La Coruña paying £6.3 million for his services.
2. Top flight experience: With many Leeds United fans crying out for players with ‘Championship experience’, Guardado’s top flight experience in Europe surely trumps that requirement. The experienced Mexican has 162 games of Spanish La Liga experience (14 goals and 27 assists) and 80 games of Dutch Eredivisie experience (four goals and 21 assists). This experience would be enough to allow him to acclimatise to the more rough-n-ready style of the Championship.
3. Only as good as the current form allows: Guardado is in a pay streak of form at the moment for Real Betis. Since his £2.25 million signing in the first week of this summer’s transfer window, Guardado has scored once and provided an impressive six assists in just thirteen games. In fact, he’s something of an assist machine, having 6 over the last three seasons – including 11 for PSV Eindhoven in their 2015/16 Eredivisie campaign.
4. More than enough international experience: With 144 international appearances for Mexico, the last a 1-0 victory over Poland just over a fortnight ago. He has played 64 friendlies for La Tri, which have yielded seven goals and 11 assists. Guardado has also featured in 41 World Cup Qualification games, scoring six times and providing seven assists. Linked to these 41 appearances, he has featured in three World Cup campaigns for Mexico (2006, 2010 and 2014), scoring a 3:1 defeat of Croatia where he played as a left-winger.
5. Only as good as you look: a video highlight reel of his season so far at Real Betis.
