“It’s complicated” — James Rodriguez casts doubt on Everton future
James Rodriguez has thrown his Everton future into doubt after admitting he doesn’t know where he will be playing next season, as the Colombian marvel continues to be linked with a move away from Goodison Park.
Rodriguez, 30, was signed by Everton last summer from Real Madrid on a free in what can only be described as a transfer masterstroke, as then manager Carlo Ancelotti looked to transform the Toffees from underachievers to European regulars.
The South American star took to the Premier League like a duck to water in the opening months, as Everton went the first five games unbeaten and looked set to tussle in the upper reaches of the division, but injury complications soon derailed his — and Everton’s — form.
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After such a blistering start to the campaign, Everton soon tailed off and Ancelotti’s men eventually finished 10th, when at one stage European football looked a foregone conclusion, with the Italian compounding that misery by leaving for Real Madrid.
With the former Bayern Munich boss now back at the Bernabeu, doubts have surfaced regarding Rodriguez’s future on Merseyside, a concern echoed by the player himself, who admitted he is unsure of where he will be plying his trade next season, conceding the situation is “complicated”.
Rodriguez said on Twitch: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know – I don’t know where I’m going to play.
“You know that in football and in life you don’t know anything, but all I know is that I’ve been training hard, preparing well, training for myself and that’s it.
“It’s complicated. [I will play] wherever I’m wanted. Someone has to be at a place they’re wanted.”
On a possible return to Real and another reunion with Ancelotti, Rodriguez added: “No, I don’t think so. It is a closed cycle now, which is not going to be repeated.”
The playmaker was able to feature for Everton in the Florida Cup on Sunday, with his side beating Colombian outfit Millonarios on penalties, as he was not called up to his nation for this summer’s Copa America, in which Los Cafeteros finished third.
Were Rodriguez to leave Everton, a move to Serie A could be high on the agenda, with the 30-year-old revealing a move to Italy’s top flight would interest him.
He continued: “I’ve already played in all of the top European leagues. I am missing Italy, but I don’t know.
“It would be a good option, but in the future I don’t know if it will come to pass. I still haven’t played in Italy, it would be good to make that record.”
