News that Colombian striker James Rodriguez was spotted in Madrid are fueling speculation that a deal with the Real is close at hand. The 23-year-old had an impressive World Cup in Brazil and is now looking to make his dream of playing alongside his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, a reality.
The rumor is that James — as he is known — refused to play in a friendly with his current club, the AS Monaco, for fear of injury, ahead of a possible transfer to his dream club. Real Madrid is reportedly paying a fee of €85 million ($114.9 million) for the superstar.
The latest news in the potential transfer comes as Real Madrid is attempting to boost their squad to compete against their cross town arch rival, Barcelona. Messi and Neymar — who suffered a World Cup ending injury that prevented him from playing in the final matches — are now joined by the controversial, but very talented, Luis Suarez, who was banned from any football related activities for four months for biting Italian defender Claudio Chiellini.
Adding James Rodriguez to their already powerful lineup would be welcome news for Real Madrid. Los Blancos already have Christian Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo — collectively known as the BBC — one of the most lethal offenses in football.
It is unclear how James’ addition would come into play, and there is talk that Argentine Di Maria could be out. This news, if finalized, would make Carlo Ancelotti’s bench one of the most talented in La Liga.
Real Madrid recently made news with the transfer of Toni Kroos , fresh from the World Cup title with Germany. Added to that they have: Alonso, Khedira, Illarra, Isco, Bale, Modric, and Di Maria in their squad.
New photos surfaced on Twitter, adding fuel to the speculation about James’ transfer to Real Madrid, showing the striker and his wife in the Spanish capital’s airport and subway station. Rumor is that they are already looking for a home in Madrid.
James Rodriguez is in Madrid airport!It’s happening! Welcome to Real Madrid, James! pic.twitter.com/BRsa39MOEQ
— Toni Kroos (@RMadridCastilla) July 20, 2014
James Rodriguez in the T4 metro in Madrid via @michel_martin #JR10 pic.twitter.com/FGAEdgERus
— RMadridGirl (@RMadridGirl) July 20, 2014
If the verbal agreement is finalized, there is no question James Rodriguez can be an incredible asset at the Bernabeu. The striker won the Golden Boot after scoring six-goals in five games — including what many believe to be the best goal of the 2014 World Cup — and showed that he can perform in the biggest stage of them all, while remaining cool, calm, and collected. Real Madrid fans hope the news of James Rodriguez’s transfer becomes official very soon.
[Image via Twitter]