James Rodriguez (Getty Images)
According to AS (h/t The Metro), Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid outcast James Rodriguez.
The report also suggests that Rodriguez is up for sale in the summer after having been left out by Zinedine Zidane on numerous occasions. He seems to have no future at the Santiago Bernabeu and could be on his way out of the club, with Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also believed to be possible destinations for the Colombian.
With his contract coming to an end next summer, the same source claims that he could be available for as little as £22.5m. Thus, Arsenal should use this opportunity to land the immensely talented Colombian star.
The South American started his journey with the academy of Tolimense de Futbol before rising through the ranks of Envigado’s youth system. He then spent three years in Argentina before FC Potro picked him up in the summer of 2010.
In his three seasons with the Portuguese giants, he made 108 appearances and helped them lift several trophies, including three successive league titles and the Europa League in 2010/11.
He signed for Monaco in 2013 and in 34 Ligue 1 games, the attacking midfielder scored 9 goals and set up 13 more. That summer, he excelled with the Colombian national team at the World Cup, finishing the competition with 6 goals. He earned the Golden Boot award.
The unexpected star of the 2014 World Cup earned a huge £63m move to Real Madrid and became an integral member of the Los Blancos squad, winning two Champions League titles. However, since the arrival of Zidane, he has lacked the regular game time and was sent on a two-year loan spell to Bayern Munich. He hasn’t received enough opportunities even after his return.
At the moment, the Gunners have only one attacking midfielder. Mesut Ozil hasn’t been at his best in the last couple of seasons.
He has been in and out of the squad and this term, he has managed to score just 1 goal and provide 2 assists. He has fallen down the pecking order and has also been on the sidelines since the restart. Thus, the Gunners need a creative player to bolster their attack.
In that regard, taking a gamble on Rodriguez could pay off well. Except for this season, the former Monaco man has been delivering the goods whenever he received his opportunities. In 67 games for Bayern Munich in the last two campaigns, he racked up 15 goals and 20 assists, and still has some years to play at the top level.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta should get the best out of him by handing the Colombian his fair share of opportunities. And if he is able to replicate the same form he showed in the past, he could go on to replace Ozil as their creative head.
At 29, Rodriguez still has some football left in him and needs a chance to revive his career. At the same time, Arsenal could benefit from his presence in the middle of the park and move on from Ozil’s inconsistency.
