James Balances | The Basque newspaper

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” As Real Madrid played the league title game by game and eclipsed stars like Gareth Bale and James Rodríguez sported legs and mask day after day in the empty stands of the stadiums, Zinedine Zidane tried to publicly park two entrenched affairs, two pending subjects that the coach from Marseille and the board of directors must solve yes or yes this summer.

Nothing is wanted to speak in Real Madrid of this type of individual contractual situations a few days after returning to the knockout stage of the Champions League. Nothing should distract attention from what it touches, a major challenge, the return collision of August 7 in the Etihad against Manchester City by Pep Guardiola, in advantage after the 1-2 achieved more than five months ago at the Santiago Bernabéu.

In times of crisis and uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, however, Real Madrid assumes that it is vital to download salary mass, even if it is selling on sale, almost at bargain prices. There will be no more player entries without exits but, above all, it is remove pimples that can become cystic or increase and damage an attached clothing, according to his coach, the key to success with the 34th League in the packed showcases.

It is known that the Welshman, delighted to live in the Madrid sun and improve his handicap on the golf courses, will face his departure. You have made the decision not to forgive a penny of your contract, which runs until 2022 and for which it charges 14.5 million euros per campaign. He Colombian, with a tab that is around 7 million euros net, has just one more year of contract with whites and a fairly devalued market value of 32 million, according to Transfermarkt.

It seems to be more willing than Bale to leave the club without big arguments or big enemies. He was about to do it last summer, when he had a foot and a half at Atlético del Cholo Simeone in exchange for a transfer of 50 million, but Florentino Pérez reconsidered and backed down after the eternal rival endorsed him seven goals in the American preseason.

According to the latest information coming from the Premier, the ‘coffee maker’, another star under the control of powerful Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes, is pretty close to signing for Manchester United. It would be the fifth big club of his career after Porto, Monaco, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, and the fifth different European championship, after those of Portugal, France, Germany and Spain.

The ‘red devils’ have accelerated contacts with the white club in recent days and have sent an offer that seems to convince in economic terms. They are 25 million what the English club puts to take Old Trafford to the Colombian and Madrid would accept. El Everton, trained by Carlo Ancelotti, key during the first stage at Real Madrid before the transfer to Bayern with a purchase option not executed by the Bavarians, it also tracks.

The player is attracted to know the Premier, but would prefer to continue in Madrid, linked to Athletic, a longing. However, now it is not an emergency for the rojiblancos, who are not willing to bid and would only wish it at zero cost, paying only their juicy chip. For this demarcation of hook they trust that the young course will explode next Joao Félix.

Nine blank titles

Signed in the summer of 2014 after a sensational World Cup in Brazil in exchange for 85 million, James has not shone as expected at Real Madrid, but the club considers it amortized. With the meringues he has disputed 125 games, in which he has scored 37 goals and offered 42 assists. At 29 years old, he has won nine titles with whites: two Leagues, two Champions, two Club World Cups, two European Super Cups and one from Spain.

If last year, after two years on loan in the Bavarian championship, with which he achieved two Bundesligas among other awards, he already had little contribution, this year his file has been very poor. In the League, he has only participated in 419 minutes during eight games, five of them as a starter, in which he has scored a goal and given an assist. Between injuries, poor shape or low intensity, in the middle of the meetings he was neither called.

In addition, he has acted 215 minutes in three Copa del Rey matches, with another goal pass, 81 minutes in two Champions League duels and 13 minutes in a Super Cup match. In total, he has participated in 728 minutes of 14 games throughout the course. Almost anecdotal numbers for a supposed figure that does not end up fitting in Valdebebas.