Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez has closed the door on a possible departure from the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer
James Rodriguez has committed his future to Real Madrid, insisting that he does not intend to leave the Santiago Bernabeu any time soon, claiming that he could remain in the Spanish capital forever if it was up to him.
Rodriguez was speaking in an interview with Marca in the aftermath of Real Madrid’d 4-1 win over Eibar. And when quizzed about his future with the club, he said, “I always want to be here. You never know what’s going to happen, but I want to stay here.”
The Real Madrid journey has been filled with ups and downs for James Rodriguez. Arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu after a highly impressive World Cup in 2014, the Colombian had a burgeoning reputation following his spells with Porto and AS Monaco.
His first season saw Rodriguez continue to make an impression as one of the most promising young talents in Europe, as he scored 13 goals in 29 league starts for Real Madrid and made himself a key figure under Carlo Ancelotti.
However, beyond that season, things started taking a turn for the worse, especially following the appointment of Zinedine Zidane at the helm at the Bernabeu. The Frenchman’s arrival saw Rodriguez losing his place as a regular in the first team to be reduced to a bit-part role.
2016/17 has only seen things go from bad to worse as the 25-year-old has managed to start just 6 games in La Liga for Real Madrid, having fallen way down the pecking order. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are favoured in midfield by Zidane while the famed BBC trio are rarely overlooked in attack.
As a result, Rodriguez’s future at the Bernabeu has been mired in uncertainty, with reports stating that the Colombian international was looking to move on in the summer. That saw clubs starting to circle for him with Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich all linked in recent months.
However, Rodriguez seems to have a new lease of life at the Bernabeu following his exemplary showing at the Ipurua against Eibar on the weekend. He enjoyed a gala night as he was involved in each of Real Madrid’s goals, while also grabbing one for himself.
The Colombian was full of confidence in the aftermath of the match, and his comments are an indication that he is ready to fight for his future in the Spanish capital. It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid are interested in offloading him in the summer, but the player himself intends to stay on.
