Real Madrid cannot be picky with James Rodriguez offers

Real Madrid attacking midfielder James Rodriguez must be sold this summer, especially after Zinedine Zidane requested Martin Odegaard’s return.

For Real Madrid, there is no bigger priority than raising funds and cutting the wage bill this summer. If Los Blancos’ financial situation is as precarious as recent reporting indicates, then there is little margin for error when it comes to offloading two players with high wages who are no longer crucial to the team. Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez must go.

Neither player started down the stretch of the season, and it is sad to see that Bale and James must leave the team in 2020. Bale is certainly a club legend, and James was also an important player at the Santiago Bernabeu before his loan to Bayern Munich, scoring some of La Liga’s most delightful goals of the past decade.

While Bale’s contract will be more difficult to move, Real Madrid should be able to find suitors for James. Plenty of Premier League sides, including Manchester United, have been linked, and James’ agent Jorge Mendes has the power to swing a deal.

But because James is nearing the age of 30, coming off injuries, on high wages, and not in his peak form, Real won’t be able to get much from selling him. It’s possible 25 million euros may even be too much for James, as high as his quality is.

Real Madrid won’t get ‘market value’ for James Rodriguez

Transfermarkt still lists James as being worth 32 million euros. While he was once worth more than that and certainly carries the name recognition of a player worth more than that, James might not even go for much more than half of that price.

Real Madrid must be prepared to sell James at a cut rate, because they have no leverage here. Everyone knows they must sell. He clearly has no place in Zinedine Zidane’s plans despite his own best efforts, which include maximizing his own defensive work while creating chances in the final third. James has a lot to offer, but other teams know Zidane sees more in Martin Odegaard now. And James isn’t playing over Isco either.

He is buried on the bench at the Bernabeu, and interested clubs in the Premier League, Serie A, or even La Liga – if Atletico Madrid still want him – understand that Los Blancos want to raise money. They also understand that the mere act of getting James’ wages off the team will be a significant financial boost for Florentino Perez’s club.

Real will have to accept offers well below 30 million euros for the Colombian playmaker, who will hopefully be able to find his best form in a key role somewhere else. His future is not at the Bernabeu with one year left on his deal, and Real know they can’t be too choosy here. They just need to get a sale done.