Manchester United have been linked with a swoop for Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez once again this summer, according to a report on Teamtalk. Citing Spanish outlet Don Balon, it states that the Colombian international could be on his way to Old Trafford at last, despite being being linked with a move to United at various points over the last several years.
Rodriguez left Spain last summer and signed a two year loan deal with reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, and has impressed during the first twelve months of his spell in Germany. The captain of his national side scored 11 goals in 32 appearances, and was a key part of the side that retained the Bundesliga alongside a run to the semi finals of the Champions League.
Bayern had been expected to make the move permanent, but the suggestion in the report appears to be that Rodriguez is unconvinced about the German club’s recent appointment of Niko Kovac. That has led the player to consider a move elsewhere, with Paris Saint Germain and Juventus also said to be interested. However, Jose Mourinho is apparently confident of bringing the player to Old Trafford for a fee of around £39m.
It wouldn’t be a surprise for Mourinho to be earmarking creative talent to bring to United after a frustrating second season as manager. His side frequently struggled for consistency, and the likes of Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial all had their issues with staying on top of their game. Rodriguez, however, is a player that has been frequently linked with a move to United, to the extent that one wonders if such news has been leaked by the player’s entourage as a way of drumming up interest.
Could United do with a player of Rodriguez’s talents, or would it be better for Mourinho to try harder to extract the best out of the players he currently has? Only time will tell on that one.
