Manchester City have joined Arsenal in the battle so sign midfielder James Rodriguez from Real Madrid.
The Colombian has been a peripheral figure at the Santiago Bernabeu since Zinedine Zidane took charge in January and Jorge Mendes, the player’s representative, is scheduled to meet Madrid President Florentino Perez next week to discuss his client’s situation.
According to El Confidencial, this has put both City and Arsenal on red alert for a player who was the star of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and moved to the Spanish capital from Monaco after the tournament for a fee that reportedly could reach €80m.
The 24-year-old has a contract with Los Blancos that expires in 2020 but is becoming increasingly concerned about his long-term future under Zidane
James enjoyed a brilliant first season in La Liga, scoring 13 goals from 29 starts, but since then the playmaker has struggled to make an impact and may welcome a big-money move to the Premier League.
