Manchester United’s strained relationship with Real Madrid is set to continue as James Rodriguez might not join the Red Devils. The Colombian playmaker is very adamant to leave the Santiago Bernabeu after falling in the pecking order.
Florentino Perez is very keen to get rid of James to fund a move for Kylian Mbappe. The Madrid president is known to be a very tough negotiator but in this case, the scenario is completely different.
Rodriguez cost Los Blancos a whopping £71m when he joined the Spanish side from Monaco but Perez is ready to allow him to move for as much as £64 m as they are very desperate to rope in Mbappe.
Both Manchester United and Chelsea have enquired about the player’s availability but according to reports, Paris Saint-Germain might hijack the deal under the nose of these two heavyweights. The wealthy French side are lining up a mammoth bid for the attacking midfielder.
If United somehow fail to steer a move for the player, here are the three alternatives they can try.
Isco
Another Real Madrid playmaker. The Spaniard was consistently linked with top clubs last season but Perez blocked all the moves and the strategy seemed to have paid off as Madrid retained the Champions League and won the La Liga title after a couple of years.
Isco’s stats are very convincing. Despite playing on a rotational basis, the 25-year-old managed to make his mark amongst this talented bunch of players. Injury to Gareth Bale was a blessing in disguise for him as he racked up 10 goals and nine assists in the Spanish top tier helping the Spanish giants to lift the Spanish league title.
Predominantly a number 10, he can be used on either wing. He has the knack to run straight into the defence and his ability to split through the defence is quite commendable. And he will be an excellent addition to United. And if the Spaniard is unable to get first team assurances, he might well consider his future ahead of the World C
Marco Reus
This talented German attacker has been one of the most talked about players in the Bundesliga. Despite having the talent, his development has stalled due to his injury problems.
Reus had to stay away from both World Cup and the European Championship due to injuries. A transfer is not imminent but in upcoming future, we might see him donning a different jersey and Jose might well take a gamble.
Dimitri Payet
Payet had a short and sweet stint with West Ham United but he left the club to join his previous club Marseille. United might trigger an interest in the player as the player has all the necessary qualities to thrive in the Premier League.
A playmaker of the highest quality, the French international’s accuracy of crosses is excellent. He is also an assured set piece specialist which is a pretty rare quality these days.
