Transfer News: James Rodriguez talks up Napoli as Real Madrid prepare to sell

Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez has been heavily linked with a move to last season’s Serie A runners-up Napoli following the culmination of his two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich. 

The 27-year old was sent to the Bavarians in the summer of 2017, where he won two Bundesliga titles and three domestic cups, scoring 15 goals and 20 assists in the process. 

Rodriguez, who is surplus to Real Madrid’s requirements, has also been linked with a move to Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool and Italian champions Juventus. But has recently expressed his admiration for Napoli. 

“Napoli has a current history that goes beyond Diego Armando Maradona, I think I would be fine in this context”, he said. 

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, however, has publicly confirmed the club’s desire to reunite the Colombian with manager Carlo Ancelotti. We have always said that we need two full-backs and one striker,” De Laurentiis told Radio Kiss Kiss. “James Rodriguez fits the image of what Carlo Ancelotti wants.”

“I don’t know how much he 100 percent answers our needs, but we certainly can’t put his skill in doubt. At a certain point one must then empower his coach. If he [Ancelotti] wants him for Napoli, it is because he knows how useful he [James] can be, even if he is very expensive. I said, let’s go ahead”, he added.

De Laurentiis has proposed a transfer plan to Real Madrid, which states that the Italian club will pay €10m this summer to acquire the midfielder on loan and pay €40m to make the move permanent next summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

James Rodriguez is currently in action for Colombia in the Copa America finals in Brazil. The Golden Boot winner of the 2014 World Cup has been brilliant for his team in the opening two games, assisting the first goal in Colombia’s 2-0 win over Lionel Messi‘s Argentina and setting up another in last night’s 1-0 win over Qatar.