Real Madrid
James Rodriguez finally admits he may leave Real Madrid
Real Madrid

James Rodriguez finally admits he may leave Real Madrid

Published Dec. 18, 2016 1:10 p.m. ET

James Rodriguez has never been a regular starter for Real Madrid and now that could drive him away from the club. After more than a year of speculation that the Colombian could leave the Bernabeu to get more playing time, James finally admitted that is is a very real possibility he finds a new club in the January transfer window.

"Things are not going as I would want," James told reporters after the Club World Cup final. "But I have had offers and I have these seven days to think well about everything.

"I want to stay, but you must think about everything. I cannot assure you what will happen, as I want to play more."

It's reasonable that James wants to play more. He's one of the better players in the world and would not just be an automatic starter at most clubs -- the club would be built around him.

James joined the Merengues for €80 million after starring at the 2014 World Cup, but fitting him into a team with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos has always been difficult and he's been second choice as a result.

Manchester United have been repeatedly linked to James, long before Jose Mourinho took over. Whether Mourinho wants him is unclear, but they've said they need to sell to buy in January so a huge spend on someone like James next month seems unlikely. Chelsea and Arsenal have also been named in rumors, but Chelsea don't have an obvious place for him and are rolling, while Arsenal are already struggling to figure out how to pay Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

The most likely landing spot for James is probably Paris Saint-Germain. They can afford him and he'd be an immediate star for them. He could also be a much-needed addition with the team struggling mightily this season and not even topping Ligue 1.

Inter Milan was linked to a transfer for James this summer, with reports indicating that Real Madrid agreed to sell him to the Italians for €85 million, only to have the player shut it down. Whether that's true and whether Inter can actually pay that much money for James is up in the air.

Regardless of whether James leaves Real Madrid, or where he goes, it is all a matter of playing times. As James said, he's happy in Madrid and loves the club, but it simply comes down to getting on the field.

"If I am not playing, I must think about it all and look for a way out."

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