Istanbul Basaksehir make James Rodriguez approach, Everton exit difficult
A powerful figure close to James Rodriguez has confirmed that Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir have made an approach for the Everton playmaker.
In an interview with Spanish news outlet AS, agent Ahmet Bulut, Jorge Mendes’ partner in Turkey, has confirmed that Basaksehir “threw a cable” for the 30-year-old.
But Bulut said that “it is not easy to reach an agreement with the player and with Everton.”
Big stumbling block?
This is a deal that looks difficult given the wage demands of the Colombian.
Rodriguez is likely to be Everton’s highest earner at the club, and that could be out of reach for the Basaksehir.
As tends to be common nowadays, the Turkish club may be hoping for Everton to share his wages for a season before the ex-Real Madrid man becomes a free agent in the summer of 2022.
Given he has less than 12 months on his Blues contract, Rodriguez is surely likely to sit and see it out rather than take a reduction.
Therefore, a loan appears more likely, but there is a race to complete a deal with Turkish clubs having to make signings before the transfer deadline of September 8.
It remains to be seen, however, if Rafa Benitez is prepared to hand Rodriguez another chance for the next four months before reassessing in January.
Given the failure to sign his compatriot Luis Diaz from Porto, the Blues may benefit from another creative option in attack.
In other Everton news, an agent has shared a major injury development on big-money Blues player.
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