Bayern Munich Loanee Could Return to Real Madrid After Attracting Attention of New Manager
By Henry Burt
Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez could be given another chance to break back into the fold at the Spanish club as new manager Julen Lopetegui believes the Colombian is capable of filling the creative void left by Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to Spanish publication Marca, the door remains open for Rodriguez to play for Madrid following the departure of manager Zinedine Zidane this summer.
Rodriguez would apparently be open to playing for Madrid again, having previously been prevented from doing so due to his poor relationship with the Frenchman.
However, the main stumbling block is the fact that he is currently halfway through a two-year loan deal at German champions Bayern Munich, with the Bavarian side holding the upper hand in negotiations.
However, Marca have also suggested that Bayern are not entirely opposed to the idea of allowing Rodriguez to return to the Spanish capital a year early and have not shut the door entirely on negotiations.
While the Colombian attacker enjoyed a fine season in the Bundesliga and Bayern will not be eager to lose him in a hurry, the outcome of the deal could come down to Rodriguez's own happiness and where he sees himself playing next season.
The terms of Rodriguez's loan deal also include an option to buy at the end of the 2018/19 season - however, this outcome seems unlikely with Rodriguez himself currently keen on a return to Madrid.
With Lopetegui looking to bring Rodriguez back to Madrid as he prepares to take charge ahead of the new season, the Spanish manager has encouraged the player to force his way out of the loan deal with Bayern by any means necessary.