According to Spanish outlet El Confidencial, Tottenham have joined the race to sign Colombian international James Rodriguez, who is widely tipped to leave Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. The 25-year-old has been heavily linked to the Premier League. Most of the top teams like Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Manchester United have been linked with the player. Now, Spurs have also joined in the list so as to make the top six from the Premier League of 2016-17 to register an interest in the player.
After failing to secure a first-team spot under manager Zinedine Zidane, Rodriguez is keen to make the switch away from the Santiago Bernabeu in order to get regular game time. Last season, he made only 13 starts in the La Liga, and he was not even seen on the bench for the final of the Champions League against Juventus. Even though Rodriguez ended up winning his second Champions League medal, he is certainly not happy at the Spanish club.
Rodriguez is a quality player who will be more than capable of leading the line for Spurs. While there is a lot of interest in the 25-year-old, there appears to be a major problem with regard to signing him – Real Madrid’s asking price.
The player has a contract with Madrid until June 2020, which puts the Spanish club in a strong position as far as negotiating any transfer fees goes. Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest tantrum about leaving Spanish football has once again increased the uncertainty surrounding Rodriguez. If Ronaldo does end up leaving the club, Madrid may struggle to find quality replacements. In such a scenario, they might turn back to Rodriguez while the player also senses such an opportunity growing in the background.
Hence, the possibility of signing Rodriguez remains in the limbo, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is keeping close tabs on the situation.