James Rodriguez has opted not to prolong his stay at Bayern Munich and will return to Bernabeu this summer. Reports, however, claim that Liverpool might make a move for the Colombian.
Rodriguez is keen to return to Real Madrid after a disastrous campaign with Bayern under Niko Kovac.
According to the Mirror, it’s unlikely he will remain at Real Madrid, with Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal keen to bring him to England.
Liverpool are looking to add more quality to their attacking department this summer, and have subsequently put Rodriguez on their radar.
James Rodriguez: An ideal signing for Liverpool
It is unlikely Liverpool will need any quality signings given the way they fared in the final third in the recently concluded Premier League campaign. But, if there ever was someone who could further strengthen the Liverpool attacking unit, it’s Rodriguez.
The ex-Monaco star is a versatile operator, who can feature in both attack and midfield. That means it will be easier for Jurgen Klopp to accommodate the Colombian international in his preferred 4-3-3 formation.
At Bayern, Rodriguez has mostly featured as a wide attacking midfielder. But, his tendency to move in-field and operate in a more central area has been rather evident. As a result, Jupp Heynckes often played Thomas Muller in the wide-role, allowing Rodriguez to start in the lone attacking midfield role.
Klopp could utilise the same idea, although he won’t have the privilege of deploying any attacking midfielder in his 4-3-3 shape. However, he can start James in an advanced midfield role, with the duo of Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho operating in relatively deeper roles in midfield.
Rodriguez’s ability to find a pass even when opposition teams play a low block will spark new life to the Liverpool attack that has often come up against teams that simply park the bus against them..
The South American has a vast amount of experience in top-flight football, having made over 300 professional appearances in European football.
Rodriguez seems like a viable transfer target for Liverpool. The Colombian international has the quality that could help Liverpool make a stronger push for the Premier League title next season.
However, it will be interesting to see how much the Reds will have to pay in order to attain Rodriguez’s services.