Why Manchester United should end their pursuit of James Rodriguez
Former Colombia striker Faustino Asprilla while talking to radio station Blu Radio (h/t Metro) suggested that James Rodriguez should join Manchester United.
Aspirilla, a former Newcastle United striker has backed Rodriguez to opt United as his next destination amidst rumours linking the Colombian with a move to Old Trafford.
Attacking midfielder Rodriguez has become an unwanted man at his current club Real Madrid after the return of former boss Zinedine Zidane. The 28-year-old has made just seven appearances in the league this season following a two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich.
Rodriguez, however, failed to impress in Germany too, that saw him make a return to his parent club earlier this summer. However, with Zidane still sticking on with his trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro in the midfield, Rodriguez has found opportunities rare to come by.
Rodriguez – The World Cup star
The Colombian, who arrived in Madrid after his exploits at the 2014 World Cup in Germany, has however failed to live up to his hype. Rodriguez was the Golden Boot winner in the World Cup that year and was touted to be a huge talent.
However, his performances for Madrid since moving from French side Monaco in the summer of 2014 give an entirely different picture. The presence of top stars such as Kroos, Modric, and Isco always restricted Rodriguez’s entry into first-team line-up.
His constant efforts to break into the first-team line-up went futile, with the likes of Modric, Kroos, and Isco dominating the midfield at Santiago Bernebeu. This saw him being offered to Bavarian giants Bayern Munich in the summer of 2017 in order for him to gain more game time.
Manchester United interested in Rodriguez
Rodriguez failed to impress at Bayern despite making 67 appearances over two seasons. Now with the player falling out of favour with boss Zidane, Premier League side Manchester United seem to have made contact with the player.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have had a resurrection in form since the arrival of Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes in January. Despite few inconsistencies earlier in the season, United have managed to stay fifth in the league and are fighting for a Champions League spot ahead of next season.
They are now just three points short of fourth-placed side Chelsea and most of the credit goes to attacking midfielder Fernandes. He has been crucial to United’s rise in form in recent times, scoring two goals and making three assists from his five league appearances.
He has become an instant hit at Old Trafford and is certain to feature in Solskjaer’s side next season. His selection in the final few games for United gives a fair idea of the midfielder’s role within the current line-up.
With Fernandes establishing his spot in the first-team line-up, Manchester United’s pursuit of unwanted man Rodriguez seems rather unnecessary. The Red Devils also have veteran Juan Mata and youngster Andreas Pereira in that role, giving a clear indication that the side is well-stocked in that department.
Thus, it would be wise of Manchester United to halt their interests in Rodriguez as he would just turn out to be surplus to their requirements at the moment.
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Verdict
Manchester United seem to have found a quality playmaker in Fernandes considering the side’s good displays in the last few games. The midfielder seems to be enjoying his new life at Old Trafford and United should keep more faith in him. Hence, roping in another midfielder like Rodriguez does not seem like a good move as he would just be a waste of time and resources.
