Manchester United displayed an interest in acquiring James Rodriguez
In the midst of these concerns, would it be wise for Madrid to cut their losses and rid themselves of this exquisitely brilliant, yet troubled footballer? A few internal and external factors might have a bearing on his future at the club.
Manchester United, very obviously, have displayed a keen interest in acquiring James. A column in The Metro on 21st January 2016, mentioned that the Red Devils are preparing a mammoth bid of £64.7 million to take James to Manchester.
The proposition looks incredibly tempting. Madrid would earn a small profit, remove a problem element from the squad and avail funds to acquire their next big name signing. But, therein lays a problem.
Los Blancos have been banned from signing players during the next two transfer windows. Although Madrid released a statement that said: “The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to provisionally suspend the sanction imposed on the club”, the ban could quite easily be imposed once again in the following months.
The precariousness of the situation complicates planning and execution at a strategic level. The management will have to assess their options carefully, opting to unify their current assets without disrupting harmony in the dressing room.
Egos must be massaged and rulebooks must be revised. Under current circumstances, losing a key player, even in the interest of money, might emanate into being a myopic decision.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also beginning to age
Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract expires in two-and-a-half years, at which point he would 33 years old. The player’s resale value will begin to plummet with the passing of every window. Florentino Perez, being in the locus, is actively seeking a successor to Ronaldo.
Some news publications recently declared that Madrid were fervently attempting to secure Neymar. A few balanced heads in the boardroom might be probing within the squad in the hope of finding a suitable heir to Ronaldo.
Considering the significance of the factors governing Madrid’s transfer market, James’ position at the club assumes a sensitive outlook. Nonetheless, Madrid would do well to cash in on James while his stock is at its highest. Multiple footballers in the squad are poised to adequately replace him upon his departure. Most notably, Jese, Mateo Kovacic and the aforementioned Isco provide ample cover in James’ absence.
In the event of the transfer embargo being lifted off the club, Madrid could channel the funds earned from James’ sale to purchase another superstar, such as Eden Hazard. The sale makes abundant sense for the club from a financial and tactical standpoint. The move might eventually spark some life in the former Monaco man as he journeys to find the player that went missing this season.
