Greg O’Keeffe: James Rodriguez could quit Everton after Rafa Benitez arrival
Greg O’Keeffe has cast major doubts over the future of Everton star James Rodriguez after Rafa Benitez was appointed manager.
The Athletic journalist was speaking on the Ask Ornstein YouTube show [02/07/21] when he was asked what the Spaniard’s arrival as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor could mean for the current crop of players.
“It’s possibly not so good news for players like James Rodriguez,” O’Keeffe said.
“I know Benitez wouldn’t cut his nose off to spite his face if he thought he could use him and get performances out of him.
“But I fear with his injury record and noises already emanating from his camp that he might want to follow Ancelotti away from Goodison Park, he [Benitez] might have that across his desk early doors.”
Inevitable
It has been well-documented that Rodriguez and Benitez did not see eye-to-eye during their time together at Real Madrid.
Benitez was appointed as manager in the summer of 2015 after the Colombian scored 13 goals in 29 La Liga appearances during his maiden campaign in the Spanish capital.
However, he scored just seven the following campaign in a season where Benitez was also relieved of his duties.
The pair clashed over Rodriguez’s form and fitness, and Benitez has never been one to indulge in luxury players so it certainly never looked like a marriage made in heaven.
Rodriguez turns 30 this month and he flattered to deceive with the Blues last season during an injury-hit campaign, so it looked a possibility that he would depart Merseyside regardless of the manager.
But Benitez’s arrival might just speed up that exit, and he has been heavily linked with Italian giants AC Milan by publications such as Tuttosport.
If Rodriguez does try and force a move away this summer, it may well be a request he is willing to sanction.
In other Everton news, Marcel Brands is set to hold transfer talks with this Blues star’s manager.
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