According to various media reports this morning, east London club West Ham United are ready to join Chelsea and Manchester United in the hunt for Real Madrid outcast James Rodriguez.
The Colombian international attacker joined Spanish giant Real Madrid from French club Monaco for about £71m two seasons ago after a sensational performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where he finished as the top goal scorer with 6 goals.
The 25-year-old attacker endured a disappointing campaign at the Bernabeu last term and was left on the substitute bench for the Uefa Champions League final victory over city rivals Atletico Madrid. Zidane’s decision to leave James on the bench for the Champions League final led to clashes between the two, according to reports that claim the decision did not go down well with the former Porto and Monaco player.
Pro-Madrid newspaper Marca reported back in January that Real Madrid legend and manager Zinedine Zidane is dissatisfied with the Colombian’s attitude and commitment. And if new reports are to be believed, it appears he will be the one to be sold to fund Madrid’s bigger purchases this summer.
However, should he become available, I sincerely doubt West Ham will have any chance of signing him ahead of the other bigger clubs interested. No disrespect to the Hammers or their fans, but they lack the clout of the other clubs in the chasing pack. The Hammers have shown their transfer ambitions so far this summer with big money bids for players such as Michy, Lacazette and Bacca. This shows that they are ready to spend big, but having money isn’t enough. Players like Rodriguez want to win titles and, let’s face it, what chance do West Ham has against the big guns to win things?
I think the race in the Premier League is between Manchester United and Chelsea. Unless City get interested later along the line, it will be between those two clubs. However, in my opinion, the Red Devils do not need the Colombian. They have already got Mkhitaryan and are about to sign Pogba.
Rodriguez will be an expensive luxury for Manchester United, in my opinion. However, Chelsea do need him. With his versatility, he will be a worthy addition to their team, especially as Fabregas has been rumoured to be on his way out of the club. If Fabregas leaves, James will be a ready-made replacement for him.
Also, with many still believing Madrid will come in for Eden Hazard, it will not be a surprise if both Chelsea and Madrid do a swap deal.
