More often than not, Real Madrid get the player they set their sights after at the beginning of an off-season, and it seems that saying to be true in the case of James Rodriguez, who doesn’t have too many days left as a player of Monaco.
It’s hard to say which source is reliable and which isn’t. AS are reporting that Rodriguez won’t play for Monaco in their preseason matches and training in fear of risking injury. Mohammed Ali suggests that he is expected in the next couple of days to land in Miami for Monaco training, but the Colombian star has no intention of following this procedure. Real Madrid expect him to join by August 1.
Rodriguez moved from Porto to Monaco last season for €45 million. The Colombian, who did quite well for himself during the season in France scored nine goals and added 13 assists to help Monaco, during their first season back in Ligue 1, to second place, not letting things fall apart after the injury of Falcao in the middle of the season.
If his league form wasn’t enough, his World Cup performance, scoring six goals (top scorer of the tournament), leading Colombia to the quarterfinals where they barely lost to Brazil 2-1, propelled him into elite status and obviously a more expensive echelon of potential targets for Real Madrid.
Unlike Luis Suarez last year, there isn’t much competition for Rodriguez and as of now, there doesn’t seem to be too much of a fight coming for Monaco for the player. They haven’t been very busy in this transfer market period so far. Maybe rumors of the owners having a change of heart about their willingness to spend are true.
Gareth Bale landed at Real Madrid last season after avoiding calls from Tottenham to play for them while the negotiations were sorted out. Rodriguez seems to be headed down a similar path, although it might be resolved with more haste.