Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on James Rodriguez, Alexander Isak Rumours

Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has insisted he is "happy" at the club despite speculation linking him with a move away.

Since Los Blancos appointed Zinedine Zidane as manager, the Colombia captain has found it very difficult to secure regular spots in the first team at the Santiago Bernabeu. Indeed, the likes of Alvaro Morata, Isco and Lucas Vazquez have emerged as the main deputies to Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Subsequently, Rodriguez has spent much of the season on the bench despite his remarkable ability. The player isn't letting things get to him, though. "I am happy here," he said ahead of Sunday's FIFA Club World Cup final, per AS. "I hope I can play the final and add yet another title. I hope to continue doing good things."

According to Corriere dello Sport (h/t Jack Rathborn of ESPN FC), Paris Saint-Germain are keen to capitalise on Rodriguez's falling stock and make him a key man in the French capital.

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At the moment, the route back to the first team under Zidane looks a challenging one for the 25-year-old. The Frenchman prefers a more robust setup than predecessors Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez, a principle that doesn't align with the intricacy and invention of Rodriguez.

As noted by OptaJose, despite being on the fringes of the first team for much of 2016-17, his creativity has still shone through for Real:

Channelled in the right way, Rodriguez can be a huge asset for Madrid. In his first season after moving from Monaco in 2014-15, he was arguably Los Blancos' standout player, linking attacks together with ease, scoring spectacular goals and frequently laying on his team-mates, too.

That spark has gone under Zidane, though, despite the aforementioned figures. Players like Vazquez and Isco have shown much greater consistency when handed chances by the manager, and it's getting to a stage where if Rodriguez wants to play every week, he may have to explore options elsewhere.

Rivals Emerge for Alexander Isak

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Torino will reportedly launch an audacious bid to sign AIK's 17-year-old sensation Alexander Isak, who is also said to be a target for Real Madrid, according to Tuttosport (h/t Calciomercato.com).

The piece noted that Los Blancos remain at the forefront of the chase for the forward, and he reportedly made a trip to the club's training ground recently. However, the report added that Arsenal are also interested in the youngster as are Juventus and Napoli, while PSG and Real Madrid are said to have had enquiries turned away.

Now Torino will reportedly test the waters with an offer of their own, although it's unlikely their bid of €7 million (£5.86 million) will be accepted given AIK turned down €8 million (£6.7 million) from Madrid and PSG.

With 11 goals in 26 games, the teenager has been causing quite a stir in Sweden with his exceptional displays. Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe took a closer examination of what Isak could bring to his potential new employers:

Should Madrid come calling, it's difficult for any player to turn them down, and given the acquisitions of rising stars like Jesus Vallejo, Martin Odegaard and Marco Asensio in recent years, it's clear the club is looking to pave the way for an exciting future.

Isak must be very careful when settling on his next career move, though. The key to his rapid rise with AIK has been getting frequent minutes on the field in the senior side. Given the pressure to succeed and the attacking quality already in the squad, it would surely be a long time before he was seen in Zidane's XI.