A video of James Rodriguez supposedly leaving the United Kingdom Embassy in Bogota has been released online. The 25-year-old is set to depart Real Madrid next month and it is believed a move to London giants Chelsea is on the cards.
Rodriguez has failed to nail down a starting spot in the Real Madrid first team this season making only eight appearances so far – with four of them being from the bench. And even though his manager, Zinedine Zidane, on multiple occasions insisted that the Colombian isn’t going anymore, a move to Chelsea seems increasingly likely.
Having joined the club after an incredible FIFA World Cup with Colombia in 2014 where he finished as the Golden Boot winner, James Rodriguez is now set to join the English giants – following a path of many creative midfielders Real Madrid have had in recent years; Mesut Ozil and Angel di Maria, precisely.
And his hesitance to stay with the club and warm the bench is great news for Chelsea who are looking for a midfielder capable of playing through the lines and out wide.
They’re losing Oscar to the Chinese Super League next month in a move that’ll earn them £60 million from former manager Andre Villas-Boas and they’re looking to sign someone in the same creative ilk as the outgoing Brazilian – albeit being asked to pay a whopping £75 million to sign the 25-year-old.
The Colombian, however, isn’t short of suitors in the Premier League alone. Manchester United and Manchester City are also said to be interested in signing him. Jose Mourinho has been a fan of the Colombian for a while now and could make the move next month should he clear some of the deadwood at the club.
Pep Guardiola has had a roller coaster of a season so far in his debut season of the Premier League and could use some of the creative flair and goalscoring prowess the 25-year-old has to offer. Both the Manchester clubs do have the kind of money to ensure such a deal is capable of happening.
With Real Madrid having had their transfer embargo cut in half, they can now resort to selling James Rodriguez just so they’re able to replace him in the summer. They’ve been linked with a host of midfielders from all over Europe with the likes of Marco Verratti and Aaron Ramsey amongst the ones on the top of the list.
