West Ham United are linked with James Rodriguez but the former Everton star would have to take a substantial pay cut if he wants to seal a return to the Premier League, as reported by Colombian publication Antena2.
With The Toffees still mired in the relegation zone despite Sunday’s ferocious 1-0 victory over Chelsea, much of the frustration amongst an understandably unhappy fanbase continues to revolve around Everton’s less-than impressive record in the transfer market.
Farhad Moshiri has wasted over half a billion on new signings and dragged Everton backwards. Imagine taking your car into a garage for a couple of upgrades, spending all your hard-earned money and then ending up with a wheel missing and a cracked windscreen.
But, for some reason, the decision to let their most naturally gifted player leave after just one season has not been subjected to the same scrutiny as, say, selling Lucas Digne to Aston Villa.
Yes, Rodriguez’s wages were eye-watering. Damaging, even. Yes, his defensive work isn’t exactly stellar.
But, throughout this torturous campaign, Everton have looked like a side crying out for some inspiration. For someone capable of producing something out of nothing. A proverbial rabbit out of the hat.
James Rodriguez to West Ham?
Say what you want about James’ Everton spell but, with six goals, nine assists and a handful of mesmerising performances, the attacking options currently at Frank Lampard’s disposal cannot hold a candle to the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner.
“He’s world class,” says former Everton ace Michael Ball (This Is Futbal).
“He just finds pockets of space to hurt any opposition if you give him that time and that space.”
“How long (will I stay) in Qatar? I don’t know. You don’t know what’s going to happen,” the former Real Madrid, Monaco and Bayern Munich star said on Twitch recently. “Although I would like to go somewhere else.”
James hasn’t settled in the Middle East. And, according to reports, his agent Jorge Mendes is attempting to find a Premier League club willing to hand him a second stab at English football. The 30-year-old is being offered to West Ham.
Can David Moyes work with James Rodriguez?
He earns £215,000-a-week at Al-Rayyan, however. Wages that West Ham are never going to match.
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What’s more, given the nature of David Moyes’ side, it’s hard to see a place for James alongside hard-running, sweat-shedding work horses like Declan Rice, Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio.
Moyes’ West Ham are a team built upon the foundations of team-work, organisation and defensive resilience. Three attributes not usually associated with James Rodriguez.
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