Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez has expressed his desire to join Manchester United following alleged discussions with manager Jose Mourinho over the phone.
The Colombia international is nearing the end of the first season of his two-year loan deal with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after falling down the pecking order in Zinedine Zidane’s side.
Having scored six goals and recorded 10 assists in 21 Bundesliga appearances – 17 of those being starts – Rodriguez’s spell in Germany is going to plan for Bayern, who will undoubtedly consider signing the 26-year-old on a permanent deal.
Rodriguez has featured in all 12 of Bayern Munich’s Champions League matches this season, but the German champions were eliminated from the competition earlier this week when Real Madrid progressed to the final at their expense. He refused to celebrate after scoring against Los Blancos during their 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
El Gol Digital are reporting, as per TeamTalk, that Rodriguez is keen on a move to Old Trafford after talking to Mourinho over the phone. It adds that the United manager wishes to take the Colombian to Old Trafford this summer.
It is worth monitoring how this story develops throughout the summer, but even if Rodriguez joined United, there’s a valid question that needs to be asked: Does Mourinho allow players of this kind enough freedom to flourish?