Sam Allardyce told Sky Sports that James Rodriguez will be ‘sulking’ after he failed to make a move on transfer deadline day from Everton.
The 30-year-old hasn’t featured for Everton this season and it doesn’t seem as though that scenario will change any time soon.
Rafa Benitez has made it clear that the creative playmaker won’t be part of his plans beyond August 31, as he told the Guardian.
In other words, get a move because you won’t be playing any minutes under me.
For Rodriguez, he might now just be spending more time on Twitch than out on the pitch during these next six months.
Allardyce understands what it’s like dealing with these current Everton owners when it comes to transfers, as he shared his thoughts on what they have done this summer.
“I think Everton has done well on their signings,” said Allardyce. “I think Gray from Leicester looks like he is setting the world on fire for £1.7 million.
On Rodriguez: “He wouldn’t be a Rafa-type player – Rodriguez is an instinctive player, he wants freedom, he doesn’t want to be restricted and he doesn’t want the handcuffs on. He’s just not a Rafa type of player, that’s where the conflicts lie.
“Loves Carlo. He would follow Carlo across the world. He must have been hoping that Carlo tried to take him back to Real Madrid. But that hasn’t happened.
“It’s a big problem with Rafa and their outlay. It’s a big problem for Rafa and a big problem for him. The only person, in the end, that will lose will be him because who will want him in the end if he doesn’t turn out and give 100% for Everton? – it appears that he is sulking somewhat.”
Unless Rodriguez goes down the route of a Willian and Serge Aurier, and rips up his contract or comes to a mutual agreement, it seems as though he won’t see much of the Goodison Park pitch this season.
It perhaps says a lot as to where his career is at because it’s not like a host of clubs were after him this summer.
Plus, Carlo Ancelotti, who signed him at Real Madrid and then took him to Bayern Munich, hasn’t come back in for his talents after he left this summer.
Either way, Rodriguez will have to do a lot in order to win Rafa over on Merseyside, especially if things continue to go well for him.
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