Jese Rodriguez Should Look for a Permanent Transfer Away from Real Madrid

Real Madrid are in the midst of their pre-season schedule as they prepare for the 2016-17 campaign, starting off with a UEFA Super Cup fixture against Sevilla on August 9.

While high-profile non-competitive games have been the biggest focus over the past couple of weeks, there has also been plenty to wonder about on the transfer side of the club—namely that they aren't getting much done. According to Marca, they missed out on two reported targets: N'Golo Kante and Andre Gomes. But there have been no high-profile exits, either, with manager Zinedine Zidane recently suggesting he was content with "the best squad in the world," per Pablo Polo of Marca.

Even so, it can be expected a number of Real's fringe or young players will be sent out on loan before the August 31 transfer deadline. And one or two faces from the squad may be forced to look elsewhere for significant game time.

One of those is forward Jese Rodriguez, who will have seen in the first two pre-season games there is no space for him in this squad. Jese needs to depart the Santiago Bernabeu to fulfil his potential, and Real can be confident they have the options in place to not miss him.

Systems

Last season, Real's most frequent formation was 4-3-3, both before and after Zidane took over from Rafael Benitez in January. While there were some variations, it was pretty clear the BBC attack of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo was the cornerstone of the team and everything else followed. That was especially true under Zidane in the second half of the season, making it tough for the likes of James Rodriguez to get a game—and Jese was somewhat below the Colombian in order of preference.

Late in the campaign, the team was switched around at times for Primera Division duty, as Real chased glory in the UEFA Champions League, with Lucas Vazquez, James, Isco and Jese all vying for game time in the absence of Ronaldo and Benzema in particular.

Even so, Jese struggled to get a regular single role, instead filling in on either side or as a largely frustrated No. 9, where his best traits don't seem to come to the fore.

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

This summer has been slightly different; Zidane has opted for a 4-4-2 system, with Jese playing up front against Paris Saint-Germain to little effect. He made his runs down the channel but link play was lacking, his team were clearly a level or two below the French outfit in terms of fitness and Mariano Diaz got the nod to play against Chelsea in the second fixture.

Jese is not a realistic option as a wide man in a 4-4-2, being far more of a wide forward than a midfielder, who would need to pass well and be involved in combination play and buildup work, track back 40 or 50 metres at a time and come infield to rotate positionally. In this system, he'd be fighting for a spot up front, and it's a fight he would comfortably lose.

Morata

The biggest obstacle in Jese's path is Alvaro Morata.

Spain's starting striker at Euro 2016, it's tough to imagine Zidane won't call upon the former Juventus man after his comments this summer, per Marca: "[Morata] has come home and is going to stay with us this year because he is a very strong player and I can clearly see that. He is a Real Madrid player and we are delighted with him."

TONY DING/Associated Press

It means Real have the option to regularly play two up top, with Morata and Benzema, or else simply slot one in for the other in the more usual 4-3-3 formation. Given both wide starters, Ronaldo and Bale, have also paired up in a two-man attack previously, there seems simply no chance for Jese to break through as a centre-forward.

Worse still, of the non-guaranteed starters who can operate centrally or wider in midfield roles, Jese is the least technically adept and doesn't appear to fit the profile of anything other than super-sub in this Real Madrid squad.

Depth

Isco and James appear to be in place and ready to play, while Marco Asensio is impressing everyone in pre-season—including Zidane, per Marca. That trio offers the balance and link between midfield and attack Real need, whether in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2. And even though none of those players can match Jese's pace, it's fair to say Ronaldo and Bale offer more to go with their speed than Jese does.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

Lucas Vazquez has also shown how well he uses his acceleration down the channels in combination with a cool head to pick out a final pass inside the penalty box, and it's Lucas who has won the battle to be the coach's trusted option off the bench or to start matches infrequently. 

Polo suggested Real's third International Champions Cup match, against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, will feature the likes of Luka Modric and James, making it even more unlikely that Jese will get the game time he needs to prove his worth.

Life Outside the Bernabeu

For all the obstacles and stars in Jese's way, though, he has proved himself capable of influencing matches both as a starter and as a substitute—simply not with enough consistency for Real Madrid's needs.

Paris Saint-Germain are known to be interested in the player, after new boss Unai Emery—formerly of Sevilla—told Le Parisien (h/t Marca) a deal was a possibility, while Polo further reported clubs from the Premier League and La Liga are keen to take him from Real.

Kamil Zihnioglu/Associated Press

Zidane admitted earlier in the summer that Jese needed to move elsewhere if he wanted minutes, per Polo, and it's an open secret the forward has just one year left on his contract. A loan wouldn't help him, or Real. And at this stage, a permanent deal away is the only course of action to aid his progression.

Jese might not exactly stagnate at Real Madrid, but the 23-year-old certainly isn't going to progress, and given how he burst onto the scene before his long-term injury in March 2014, it would be an immense disappointment if he hung around for a further wasted season to play only 1,000 minutes or so before being released.

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