Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez is reportedly intent on securing a move away in the summer, with Premier League side Wolves strongly interested.
As per a report from Spanish publication Eldesmarque, Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has emerged as a key summer transfer target for Premier League high-flyers Wolves.
Rodriguez signed for Real Madrid in the aftermath of an exceptional World Cup with Colombia in 2014 and after enjoying a couple of fruitful years in the Spanish capital, has found himself staring at the exit doors for quite a while now.
The 28-year-old had been loaned out to Bayern Munich for two years between 2017 and 2019, but with the Bavarians not making his transfer permanent, he returned to Real Madrid last summer and has since struggled for meaningful game time. So far this term, Rodriguez has made just 13 appearances in all competitions, scoring one and setting up two more.
Judging by the way he has been utilized this season by manager Zinedine Zidane, it is quite clear that Rodriguez has no future at Real Madrid beyond this season. The Colombian, having grasped this, is understood to be keen on securing a summer exit from the Santiago Bernabeu, with the likes of Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Everton interested.
However, as per the aforementioned report, it is Wolves who are in with the strongest chance of signing Rodriguez in the summer. The Premier League outfit have been performing beyond expectations under Nuno Espirito Santo since earning promotion in 2018.
Having qualified for the Round of 16 phase in the UEFA Europa League, the Midlands’ outfit are also in with an outside chance of a top-four finish in the Premier League, currently sitting sixth. With involvement in European football a likelihood again next term, Wolves are keen on adding more quality to their ranks, with Rodriguez seen as a top candidate to improve the squad.
To that end, Wolves have held talks with Rodriguez’s agent Jorge Mendes, who has an excellent relationship with the club, having helped bring the likes of Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota, among others, to the Molineux over the past few years.
The report further claims that Real Madrid are holding out for a mammoth transfer fee of €80 million, with Mendes in negotiations with president Florentino Perez to try and bring down that valuation.
Rodriguez has a little over 12 months left on his contract with Real Madrid and with him seemingly not part of the manager’s plans, it makes sense that they are looking to cash in on him in the summer. But, the price mentioned does seem a tad too exorbitant and it remains to be seen if Wolves are able to convince Los Blancos to lower the transfer fee.
