Real Madrid Transfer News: Jese Rodriguez Linked with Espanyol, Latest Rumours
Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez is reportedly poised to join Espanyol on loan.
According to Sport's Lluis Miguelsanz, both Jese and Real "are ready to do the deal," with both parties "convinced" by the project that new Espanyol boss Quique Sanchez Flores is planning, and Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane has also signed off on the move.
Per Miguelsanz, all that's left is for Real to extend his contract—which expires next summer—by a further four years, though Espanyol will be responsible for paying his wages while he's on loan and will also have the option to make the move permanent.
Jese broke into Real's first team back in 2013 as an exciting young prospect, but after suffering a serious knee injury that ended his first campaign early—and kept him out for some time in the following season—he's struggled to kick on at the Santiago Bernabeu.
La Liga writer Andrew Gaffney believes as much:
This season, he saw Lucas Vazquez move ahead of him in the pecking order—which is particularly problematic, as Vazquez isn't even a guaranteed starter himself because of the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.
That said, he was able to net six goals and eight assists in his limited showings this year—producing one or the other every 89 minutes in all competitions. Here are some of his best moments:
Between the injury and the difficulty he already faces trying to break into Real's starting XI, a loan could be highly beneficial for Jese to continue his development. Expect the 23-year-old to get his move this summer ahead of what will be an important season for him next year.
In other news, Los Blancos have reportedly turned down the chance to sign Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas.
According to Miguel Serrano of Spanish newspaper OK Diario (h/t James Gray of the Daily Express), the Blues are attempting to sell him to Real, but despite the Liga outfit having been heavily linked with him twice before, they're now more eager to sign Paul Pogba.
The Spaniard was exceptional for much of his first season at Stamford Bridge but struggled to replicate that last year. Nevertheless, he found an admirer in interim Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink, per football writer Dan Levene:
However, on too many occasions the 29-year-old proved ineffectual, as he was for Spain in their opening game at UEFA Euro 2016, per Squawka Football:
The playmaker is still an excellent player on his day, but it's difficult to see him slotting in with this Real side—he's not likely to unseat Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, while Casemiro performs a vital role even if he's not a particularly outstanding player in his position.
Fabregas' place at Chelsea is hardly assured amid incoming head coach Antonio Conte's revamp of the squad, but they'll need to look elsewhere for a buyer.
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