Spanish paper Marca, confirming that James Rodriguez faces a murky future at Real Madrid, reports the Premier League is an increasingly possible destination for the midfielder.
More notably, the report says, "Jose Mourinho's Manchester United is the leading candidate to obtain the signing of the Colombian."
Running the headline "The Premier (League) tempts James", Marca's Jose Felix Diaz writes:
“The main clubs of English football are aware of the special situation of the Colombian and are knocking on the door of the midfielder, looking for a signing that weeks ago seemed impossible and that by the day seems more than likely.”
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It adds that Real have set his price at €80 million (Dh324.3m), the same cost it is believed Madrid paid to AS Monaco for Rodriguez two summers ago after his star-making World Cup run with Colombia.
Marca says "it seems there are teams that could reach that figure" chief among them Manchester United.
This report follows up on one from just days ago, when a writer at another Spanish outlet, AS, wrote Rodriguez's perceived lack of commitment to Madrid was seen within the club as "playing with fire" with his future.
Rodriguez put in a promising first season at the Bernabeu, with 13 goals and 13 assists in 29 La Liga appearances, all starts, under Carlo Ancelotti. But he was hurt early and only sporadically effective after regaining his fitness last season, with neither Rafa Benitez nor Zinedine Zidane showing him much favour. He finished with just seven goals and eight assists in only 17 league starts. AS reported James played 66.4 per cent of possible minutes under Ancelotti in 2014/15 and just 39.8 per cent of such minutes with Real last season.
Rodriguez notably did not feature at all in the Champions League final triumph in Milan in May.
Marca's report reinforces that it is not clear that James has a long future at the club. The paper notes with the sceptical Zidane in charge at Real Madrid, it will be "very difficult to turn around a situation that ended with James not playing any minutes in the Champions League final, something that especially hurt the player".
While Rodriguez “identifies with the club, with life in Madrid” he also “wants to feel important and know that today his role in the team as a starter is not in dispute”.
Zidane, the paper reports, is for his part seeking a “change of attitude” in the 25-year-old playmaker.
"In the club they expect, with some scepticism, the return of James," Marca states. "Publicly at the Bernabeu everything is expected of James and they still believe it would be possible to recover his best, but at the first doubt they notice, the exit door would be wide open."
It is noted a scheduled meeting between Rodriguez, with his agent, and the Madrid leadership in Montreal, Canada may determine his fate. The report goes on to note that in addition to Mourinho's United, Antonio Conte's Chelsea and Unai Emery's Paris Saint-Germain could be involved, and even the "new rich" of English football such as West Ham United could play their hand.
Andy Mitten wrote for The National prior to the Copa America tournament about how Manchester United and James Rodriguez would make a sensible marriage:
“Madrid do not play the same eleven every game but if there is one star who is dispensable, it is Rodriguez.
“He has been linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, two of the few clubs who could afford him.
“Being a client of Jorge Mendes will help advance his case at United now that Jose Mourinho is manager. Rodriguez is young enough to have a long future, talented and good looking enough to have that star appeal.”
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