James Rodriguez reflects on Man Utd’s connections and reveals that Real Madrid has blocked ‘the really good offer’ in 2019

James Rodriguez admits that he admired Manchester United throughout his career, with the interest of Old Trafford shunned when he moved to Monaco, and claims to have seen a “really good offer” rejected by Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 .

Colombia’s international has long seen a transition to the Premier League, with its creative qualities considered a good fit for English football.

Old Trafford was credited with having a long-standing interest in the talented South American, with James quitting the Red Devils for the first time while preparing to leave Porto in 2013.

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After proving himself in European football, the 28-year-old was ready for another challenge – and had Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, who was managing his career – but in the end he was favored the passage to France, before then heading towards Real Madrid on the back of the 2014 World Cup.

“I think there was some kind of speech there,” said James “The locker room” by Rio Ferdinand on his previous connections to United.

“My manager has excellent relationships with the club and his name is Jorge Mendes.

“Well, we always dream of joining a big club. Since childhood I have always admired Manchester. I’ve always seen those teams with Rio, with [Ryan] Giggs e [Paul] Scholes, there were many prodigious players and I wanted to get there in that year, but it didn’t happen.

“I thought I had to play in a club that wasn’t that big. From there I went to France, just before the World Cup.

“My plan was to go to the World Cup, have a great participation there, score goals, reach a good level and from there play for a great club. Then the Real Madrid thing happened. “

James experienced a roller coaster of emotion in Spain, with the La Liga and Champions League triumphs thwarted by being sent on loan to Bayern Munich and fighting for game time in the current campaign.

He admits that he hoped to secure permanent removal from the Blancos after two years in Germany, but those in Santiago Bernabeu snubbed what he considered an attractive offer.

Explaining that decision, James said, “I was this year because … Let me tell you what happened.

“Last summer I got a really good offer from a club, I don’t want to say the name, but I could go there because I knew I wouldn’t play much here. I knew it.

“So I got this offer from this club and I wasn’t allowed to leave because of several problems. So basically I’m here this year because of the circumstances, not because I wanted to be, because I knew I couldn’t play much.

“But here I am learning every day and I hope in the future I will be able to play more. I know I have the talent and I believe in my daily work. “

James continues to generate exit speeches before the next window, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Everton among those said to follow his situation closely.