Real Madrid perform spectacular U-turn over James Rodriguez's future

Real Madrid are now set to keep hold of James Rodriguez this summer, report El Chiringuito

After falling out of Zinedine Zidane's plans at the Santiago Bernabeu, James spent the last two seasons on loan at Bayern Munich.

The German giants opted against signing the playmaker on a permanent deal, but Napoli and Atletico Madrid were two of the clubs interested in acquiring him ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. 

However, Madrid have now performed a remarkable U-turn and are ready to welcome James back into their first-team squad. 

Marco Asensio suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury earlier this week and Gareth Bale is edging closer to the exit door, opening up space for James's reintegration. 

The Colombia international could play on the right flank next season, although he will have to compete for game time with Isco, Vinicius Junior and Lucas Vazquez. 

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).