In a recent interview with Football Insider, former Tottenham Hotspur defender tipped Everton winger James Rodriguez for a summer exit from Goodison Park. Hutton said, “With Ancelotti coming in he had that pull for that sort of player.
“He’s worked with him before so he made him feel at home. ‘Come work with me, I’ll let you play with freedom.’
“But Rafa is more defensively minded. He’ll look to have a strong set up and play on the counterattack.
“If he doesn’t fit in, where does he go after that? All of sudden he’s on the bench for Everton and it doesn’t look so rosy.
“It wouldn’t really surprise me if he’s looking for a way out. Maybe back to Europe.”
Rodriguez’s Impressive Form At Goodison Park Last Season
Rodriguez had a fruitful spell with the Toffees last season as he quickly made himself an important member of their first team. The Cucuta-born playmaker scored six goals and grabbed nine assists in 26 matches for the Merseyside outfit in the previous campaign across all fronts.
The 29-year-old was a consistent performer for Everton in the opposition half after he averaged 1.6 shots, 1.7 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He even distributed possession with care based on his pass completion rate of 83.3% in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Should The Toffees Cut Rodriguez Loose This Summer?
Rodriguez is a technically gifted footballer who can make some clever runs with the ball towards the opposition penalty box. He can strike the ball purely and with venom from long range and is usually a calm finisher in front of the opponent’s goal. The Colombia international has a knack for finding space and can pick up his fair share of assists by setting up some excellent chances for his teammates in the final third.
However, there are some concerns over Rodriguez’s low work rate and how it could make him a liability in Rafael Benitez’s system as the new Everton boss prefers to play a more defensive style than his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti.
Hence, Benitez should think about cutting Rodriguez loose this summer and use the money generated from his sale to bring in a suitable replacement ahead of the new campaign. At 29, the Colombian winger is a player on the decline, so the Merseyside would be wise to cash in on him now or else lose him as a free agent when his contract runs out at the end of next season.
