James Rodríguez remains a free agent following his departure from Sao Paulo a few weeks ago, and now he has a race against time to find a team as the market in Europe closes in about 10 days.
The player has been linked to several major clubs, but ultimately his move to Europe has not materialized so far.
Now, in light of the bleak situation, an option has recently emerged with a giant of Argentine football, River Plate. However, this opportunity quickly faded as the club denied any contact with the midfielder.
Well, even though the interest from the Argentines has diminished, Carlos Antonio Vélez stated that this option was one of the most attractive and also explained why he is not receiving offers from Europe.
“The case of James is simple. He is expensive, at 33 years old, with a high injury profile. 11 coaches have had him, and in clubs, he does not behave the same way as he does with the national team. In clubs, you have to train every day, play 50 matches a year, the demands are higher. With national teams, you play two or five matches in a month like in the Copa América,” explained the analyst at the beginning as he outlines the factors for which he is not being signed.
Then, he talked about the offers and believes that being in any team is not the best option: “They take that into account, they don’t only consider if he has talent or magic. Clubs look at all profiles. Everything that has been mentioned regarding James has not worked out. Besiktas, Lazio, Betis, nothing; Celta is not showing up, and Rayo Vallecano is a team that competes, but it is the fourth or fifth team in Madrid. It was his dream to return to Europe and find a place in a mid-table club, but financially that is not possible.”
Finally, to close the topic of James, Vélez spoke about River’s interest and asserted that it would be good for him to consider the option of staying in South America: “The River Plate situation is attractive because it is time for him to play; there is the Copa Libertadores, and they have spent 22 million euros on a dozen players to win that tournament. They also have the Club World Cup, and for James, it’s a chance to showcase himself internationally again. James needs to be realistic; he shouldn’t go to just any team in Europe. This River option is good for everyone.”