REAL MADRID outcast James Rodriguez is so desperate to join Everton he is willing to slash his £140,000-a-week wages, according to reports.
The Toffees have leapfrogged Manchester United and Arsenal in the race to land the Colombian after he was frozen out at by Zidane Zidane.
Everton are favourites to sign Rodriguez – with Ancelotti keen on a third spell with the Colombian and the player willing to slash his wagesCredit: EPA
And Rodriguez, 29, is so keen to play under Carlo Ancelotti he is willing to slash his wages and escape the Bernabeu, say Marca.
Ancelotti wants to reunite with the Colombia playmaker having managed him at both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
The Italian said: “James Rodriguez? I like, I like a lot as a player.
“When I left Madrid, James Rodriguez followed me to Munich. He came to play.
“But he followed me as a rumour to Napoli and now he is following me here to Everton as a rumour.
“I have to be honest, I like him a lot. But he is a Real Madrid player. I think he will still be a Real Madrid player.”
Rodriguez has just 12 months left on his contract at the Bernabeu and is free to leave this summer.
According to Sky Sports, Everton have launched an offer of around £22million and the two clubs are on the verge of coming to an agreement.
Rodriguez will be Ancelotti’s first marquee signing of the season as he looks to improve on the club’s 12th place finish.
He is likely to sign a three-year deal as he looks to reignite his career – with Real Madrid desperate to flog a host of deadwood.
James Rodriguez is being actively pushed out of the Bernabeu this summerCredit: PA:Press Association
Rodriguez made just eight LaLiga appearances last season after returning from a two-year loan stint at Bayern.
The star of the 2014 World Cup found it difficult to fit into Zidane’s system, with the Frenchman never deploying a traditional No10.
And Rodriguez recently claimed current No10s will sorely struggle for game-time as all bosses move away from the position.
He claimed: “There are a lot of kids who don’t want to be a No10 anymore.
“There are a lot of kids who want to be forwards or a No9 or a midfielder.
“Football has created that now… everyone plays 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.
“Hardly any kids want to be a No10 now – because there aren’t any.
“Now the No10s are being left out by managers because they only want fast players who have one-on-one skills, that can run, that can play through the middle…
“So now it’s tough that kids don’t want to play No10 anymore.”
James Rodriguez available for just £22m but Arsenal and Man Utd balk at £140k-a-week wages as they eye transfer
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
