Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez was absent from the club’s return to training ahead of his transfer to Everton.
Madrid players were back in training 23 days after their elimination from the Champions League earlier this month, but the Colombian was the most notable absentee.
Last week, a report in Marca made the news on the front page of the Madrid outlet’s Thursday edition, claiming that the player is on the verge of a move to Goodison Park.
It follows a report from England that Everton will sign James with a deal likely to be processed between €25m-30m with the front page of AS saying that a three-year deal will be signed.
Carlo Ancelotti – the Everton boss – is said to be key having previously been the boss at Los Blancos for the Colombian’s first season at the club and it was comfortably his most successful season individually as he netted 16 goals, despite missing sections of the campaign through injury.
The Colombian featured just once in all competitions for the club since the 1-0 defeat at Real Mallorca in October.
James has subsequently been strongly linked with a move away from the Spanish capital this summer amid suggestions that he and Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane do not have a close relationship, as he now dominates Real Madrid transfer news.
Indeed, his exit is a priority for Madrid this summer as they look to offload players who are not in Zidane’s first-team plans and particularly those on sizable wage packets.
The former Porto playmaker returned to Los Blancos last summer following a two-year loan deal at Bayern Munich.
James netted 15 goals and provided 20 assists in 67 games for the Bavarian club between 2017 and 2019.
