Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly contemplating the prospect of bringing James Rodriguez back to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Carlo Ancelotti is weighing up the possibility of reuniting with James Rodriguez at Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. The 29-year-old Colombian playmaker is open to the idea of returning to the Spanish capital, but Florentino Perez will not sanction a bid.
James Rodriguez endured a roller-coaster of a six-year spell at Real Madrid. After joining the La Liga heavyweights in the summer of 2014 on the back of a stunning World Cup campaign in Brazil, the Colombian international performed admirably under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti. However, he subsequently lost his place under Zinedine Zidane and was constantly in and out of the starting lineup.
After a solid two-year loan stint with Bayern Munich, where he reunited with Ancelotti, Rodriguez returned to Real Madrid in the summer of 2019. However, his fortunes did not change one bit, and after a frustrating 2019/20 campaign, he joined Everton ahead of the 2020/21 season.
This move meant he had a third reunion with Ancelotti, this time at Goodison Park. And, the South American playmaker was an instant hit at Everton, although injuries did restrict his game-time to a great extent. Nevertheless, he did manage an impressive tally of 6 goals and nine assists in 26 outings across all competitions.
With Ancelotti now back at Real Madrid, there is a feeling that he could raid some of his former clubs to mould Los Blancos’ squad to his liking. To that end, Real Madrid have been linked with Richarlison, who enjoyed a fine 2020/21 campaign under the Italian tactician.
In addition, there have been murmurings of a possible move for Napoli forward Hirving Lozano. And James Rodriguez is the latest of former Ancelotti charges to be linked with a potential switch to Real Madrid, with South American playmaker open to a return as well.
However, a summer move is improbable, with Florentino Perez unwilling to sanction a bid for the Everton midfielder. And, even though Rodriguez would be ready to take a wage cut at Real Madrid, Perez’s reluctance means a summer reunion of Ancelotti and the 29-year-old will not see the light of the day in all likelihood.