According to a recent report by AS, Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez is ready to part ways with the Spanish club this summer. The same source has also stated that the Colombian international is all set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal all waiting to snap him up during this summer transfer window.
Rodriguez’s Frustrating Season In Spanish Football
The 29-year-old endured an injury-ravaged campaign at the Spanish capital after being ruled out of several matches mainly because of a medial collateral ligament problem. The Cucuta-born midfielder had featured in 14 appearances for the Madrid giants last season, registering one goal and two assists across all fronts, which proves just how much he has struggled at the Bernabeu over the past 12 months.
Rodriguez has done well to fit in as a box-to-box central midfielder and has averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.1 shots and 1.8 key passes per 90 minutes in La Liga. The Colombian talent has accurately distributed the ball based on his pass completion rate of 82.3% in league football (stats via whoscored).
Rodriguez is an experienced campaigner for his country after making a name for himself when representing Colombia at the international stage. He has earned 76 senior caps for the Colombian national side, netting 22 goals for his nation in the process. Maybe a change of scenery in this off-season could help him make a new start and find his best form for both his club and country in the coming years.
What Does The South American Sensation Offer On The Field?
Rodriguez is not amongst the fastest players in his team these days and can sometimes struggle to track the opposition runs inside his half. However, he can make up for his lack of pace through his intelligent running with the ball from midfield. The Colombian international is a technically-gifted footballer, so he can retain possession with ease and has proven himself to be a decent playmaker in the decisive end of the pitch. However, he needs to improve his end-product considerably if he intends to earn regular game time at the highest level in the coming seasons.
Rodriguez Eager To Part Ways With Los Blancos: Good Move For Both Parties?
Rodriguez can benefit from leaving the Spanish champions as he will be able to secure more first-team starts as long as he can show a clean bill of health in the long-run. Injuries have often disrupted his progress in recent years, so this upcoming campaign could be a make or break time in the Colombian’s career.
Zinedine Zidane also needs to cut down some of the deadwood from his squad so that he can generate some money for new arrivals this summer. The Madrid outfit has suffered a lot financially due to the recent COVID-19 crisis, so they could use the fee generated from Rodriguez’s potential sale to strengthen their squad before the start of the new season. With all things considered, the Colombian’s exit will be a good move for both the player and the club.
