Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on James Rodriguez Amid Premier League Rumours
Chelsea’s rumoured interest in Real Madrid outcast James Rodriguez looks to have hit a brick wall thanks to the Colombian’s astronomical price tag.
Alec Shilton of The Sun reports that Rodriguez is valued at a whopping £60 million, and Chelsea aren’t willing to stump up that much cash and have pulled out of the race to sign him.
The midfielder arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu to a fanfare after his scintillating displays in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and although he started his Los Blancos career brightly, he’s been far from the first name on the teamsheet under manager Zinedine Zidane.
In fact, he’s played just 612 minutes in the famous white shirt this season, according to WhoScored.com, which means he’ll have to look elsewhere if he wants regular first-team football.
Shilton writes that Stamford Bridge is his destination of choice, and the transfer has never been beyond the realms of possibility.
Per Marca (via Sport Witness) the Blues planned to use the windfall of money coming their way from Oscar’s remarkable switch to the Chinese top flight to bring Rodriguez in: "Conte and Chelsea are said to be the most interested, with the idea being they send Oscar off to China and with that money, plus a chunk more, buy James from Real Madrid."
However, it seems moving from Spain to the English capital would simply mean warming a slightly colder bench.
Conte likes to deploy two holding midfielders, N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic, to allow the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro to run riot either side of Diego Costa.
Rodriguez doesn't have the impact of said trio in the wide positions, while Conte doesn't look like changing his plans to accommodate a No. 10 anytime soon.
However, even if Chelsea fail to give Rodriguez the move he wants, he won't be short of options.
Jake Lambourne of The Sun recently revealed that the 25-year-old has as many as five clubs to choose from, and Rodriguez himself said he needs to make his mind up soon.
Per the article, the Colombian said: "I can't promise I will stay at Real Madrid. I have offers and seven days to think [about them]."
Manchester United, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are also interested in bringing Rodriguez in, but the five-horse race looks like shortening to four if Chelsea pull the plug on their transfer attempts.
The Blues may be cruising at the top of the Premier League, but business in the January transfer window will be of the utmost importance.
Holding on to prized assets and making a few wise investments will give Chelsea the perfect foundation to go on and claim the title back, which is looking something of an inevitability right now.
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