Reports: Liverpool open talks to sign 26-year-old playmaker

What's the rumour?

Having lost Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona this month, Liverpool are on the lookout for a quality playmaker and now reports from Spanish outlet Don Balon claim that the Reds have opened talks with Colombian star James Rodriguez over a potential move to Anfield in the summer.

The 26-year-old playmaker is currently on a 2-year-loan deal at Bayern Munich and the report states that Jurgen Klopp sees him as an ideal replacement for the recently departed Brazilian.

In case you didn't know...

James Rodriguez is slowly coming back to his best at Bayern Munich

Having made a big money move to Real Madrid in 2014, the Colombian playmaker enjoyed a fairly successful spell at the Bernabeu where he made more than 100 appearances and grabbed 36 goals.

However, in the 2016/17 season, James made only 22 appearances in La Liga and 6 appearances in the Champions League which eventually led to him securing a 2-year loan deal at Bayern Munich.

At Bayern, James has rediscovered his mojo and has put in plenty of eye-catching performances for the Bundesliga giants. The Colombian has already made 20 appearances this season and will be looking to continue his good form for the remainder of this campaign.

The heart of the matter

While Liverpool put in a rousing performance against Manchester City in the absence of Coutinho, there is no doubting the fact that the Reds will miss the creative influence of the Brazilian.

However, James Rodriguez might just be an ideal replacement for Coutinho. Blessed with excellent technical ability, dribbling skills and the ability to pick out the right passes, the Colombian would certainly add quality and depth to the Liverpool side.

When asked about a potential replacement for Coutinho, Klopp, while speaking to reporters in a press conference earlier in the month, had said:

“If we do something then it needs to be the right decision,” he said.

“We don’t have to replace him in this window, we have to step up. We’ll have 11 players and we played fantastic football without Phil.

“We have to go with open eyes through this transfer window, you can imagine, but we will not make crazy things. ‘Right’ before ‘expensive'.”

Rumour rating/probability

4/10

While James Rodriguez is perfect for Liverpool, the complications of his loan deal agreement with Bayern Munich might cause a few stumbling blocks between Real Madrid and Liverpool in completing the deal. All in all, James Rodriguez moving to Anfield in the summer looks slightly unlikely.

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James Rodriguez is definitely among the most talented players in world football at the moment.

Author's take

One of the best playmakers in world football at the moment, James Rodriguez will certainly be a statement signing by Liverpool if they manage to pull off the transfer in the summer.

Capable of operating as an attacking midfielder or on the wings, the Colombian playmaker could take Liverpool to the next level and make them genuine contenders on the European stage once again.