According to renowned football journalist Nicolo Schira, Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez is eager to be reunited with his former manager Carlo Ancelotti at Everton this summer. Schira provided an update on his official Twitter page which read, “#Everton are in a bid to sign # RealMadrid’s midfielder #JamesRodriguez this summer. James himself would be keen on a reunion with manager Carlo #Ancelotti at Goodison Park. #transfers #EFC.”
It seems like the Toffees have received a boost in their pursuit of the Colombian midfielder who played some of the best football of his playing career under Ancelotti’s tutelage during their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Rodriguez’s Mounting Difficulties At The Spanish Capital This Season
Since rejoining the Spanish giants after a disappointing loan spell at Bayern Munich, Rodriguez has struggled to put in a consistent run of performances in the La Liga so far. He has fallen victim to some random injuries this season which have derailed his chances of reigniting his career at Madrid.
The 28-year-old has only earned a total of 650 minutes of game time on the field this term which highlights his growing difficulties as part of Zinedine Zidane’s squad. However, Rodriguez has registered one goal and two assists for the Spanish outfit this season across all competitions, so he deserves credit for not giving up even when things have not gone according to plan for him over the past eight months.
Maybe a summer switch to Goodison Park could provide him with a perfect opportunity to rekindle his form at the highest level as he still has a point to prove following an underwhelming few years in Spanish football. The Colombian international has averaged 1.3 shots, 2.0 key passes and 0.1 dribbles in every 90 minutes of top-flight football this season (stats via whoscored) which is far from convincing for a player of his experience.
However, Rodriguez atleast has a decent goal-scoring record for Colombia after netting 22 goals in 76 international appearances for the South American nation thus far. If the Cucuta-born talent can avoid injuries and find some form next season, then he will once again be a nailed-on starter for Carlos Queiroz’s team in the next edition of the Copa America which has been rescheduled to kick off in the summer of 2021 due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak.
What Are The Colombian Midfield Ace’s Biggest Strengths?
Injuries have taken a toll on Rodriguez as he struggles to cover a lot of ground at the centre of the park these days. However, that hasn’t stopped him from displaying a few glimpses of his brilliance when given the license to get forward this season. The Colombian often catches the eye in the casual way he operates in midfield as he possesses excellent ball-control and can beat his marker using his quick feet and trickery in the opposition half. He also packs a lot of venom with his strikes from long distance but needs to improve his end-product if he wants to re-establish his reputation as a world-class player in European football.
Why The Toffees Need To Recruit Rodriguez This Summer
A playmaker of Rodriguez’s proven track record will be a welcome and much-needed acquisition for Everton before the start of the new season. Despite his recent injury setbacks, the experienced midfielder still has enough left in his tank to make a positive impression at the blue half of Merseyside.
He will be a significant upgrade over the likes of Tom Davies, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph, Andre Gomes and Morgan Schneiderlin at Goodison Park. None of Ancelotti’s current midfield options has managed to find consistency in terms of their performances on the field, so it makes sense for the Toffees to orchestrate a move to sign Rodriguez this summer.
As long as the South American sensation can stay healthy, he will add a lot of quality to the Everton midfield which might be enough for the club to challenge for a top-six place in the English top-flight next season. All in all, Rodriguez will offer Ancelotti the opportunity to tweak his first-team more often so that he can cope with fixture congestion and compete for multiple trophies in the coming years.
