It was reported earlier this week by journalist Jose Luis Sanchez that Arsenal have had a bid rejected for the Real Madrid star, James Rodriguez. The bid from the Gunners is understood to have been rejected by the newly-crowned European champions as it apparently fell short of their £69 million valuation of the player.
The Colombian international has had to take a backseat this season with Kroos, Modric and Casemiro firmly establishing themselves as the Galacticos’ midfield trio. With this being the case, James made just 13 La Liga starts for Madrid last season and is said to be frustrated over his lack of opportunities under Zinedine Zidane. The player raised further speculation over his future by appearing to wave goodbye to the Real Madrid fans after being substituted during the game against Sevilla.
While the source of the information makes it certainly questionable, it does make sense that Arsenal would go in for James. Considering the fact that Santi Cazorla will not be available at least until November after undergoing as many as nine surgeries and the Spaniard’s spell on the sidelines very likely to be increased even further, perhaps there is a possibility of bringing in the Real Madrid man as a replacement.
When you think about it, James and Santi are very similar players. Just like Santi, James is a versatile playmaker who can play on the flanks, in central midfield or in his preferred position behind the striker as a Number 10. And much like the diminutive Spaniard, James is also quite ambidextrous and has a certain degree of expertise over free-kicks. Moreover, Arsenal’s new system allows for two players to play behind the striker.
Considering the player’s versatility, there is certainly room for him in the Gunners’ squad. While some people might call him a Real Madrid reject, it is worth noting that the reason he lost his place to Casemiro was that Zidane wanted to play a defensive midfielder alongside Kroos and Modric, something James is clearly not. So with that being said, I would be elated if Arsenal brought in the Golden Boot winner of the 2014 World Cup to the Emirates.
AT