James Rodriguez is keen to reunited with Carlo Ancelotti at Everton (Getty Images)
According to The Sun, Real Madrid star James Rodriguez has been offered to Manchester United in a cut-price deal in the summer.
Rodriguez, 28, came through the ranks of Envigado’s youth system and was successful in his time at FC Porto and Monaco. He made a name for himself in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, collecting the Golden Boot, and earned a move to Real Madrid that summer.
He became an instant hit at the Santiago Bernabeu and won several trophies, including two Champions League titles. However, since the arrival of Zinedine Zidane, he has been in and out of the squad, and was even sent on a two-year loan spell to Bayern Munich. The midfielder seems to have lost his best form and is rarely getting a start this season.
Manchester United were unbeaten in their last 11 games across all competitions before the suspension, scoring 29 goals and conceding just twice in the process. However, with the rest of the season to be played and the new campaign on the horizon, the manager needs to bring in reinforcements to key areas.
Solskjaer has managed to bring a change in the midfield and that is one area where they look confident. Hence, signing Rodriguez would not be a wise decision at the moment.
Juan Mata and Andreas Pereira were the two attacking midfielders in the squad until Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes arrived in January. The former Sporting Lisbon man has been in impeccable form since his arrival and has changed the dynamics of United’s approach.
They haven’t lost a game since Fernandes made his debut for the Red Devils. He has already racked up 3 goals and 4 assists in just 9 games for United and seems to be the future of the club’s creative department. Long-term absentee Paul Pogba is also set to return after recovering from injury. Thus, signing Rodriguez would be a waste of resources.
The Colombian has featured in just 13 games across all competitions this season and looks to be nowhere near his best. He also commands a high wage and that would be a huge problem for the English outfit, especially in the present times of financial crisis.
United have a plethora of midfield talents in their ranks. Some of them have taken their game to the next level in recent times. Thus, they should avoid signing the former Monaco man. Instead, they must look to strengthen other key areas this summer.
