James Rodriguez admits Everton future is 'complicated' - but rules out Real Madrid return

31 July 2021 13:45

Everton playmaker James Rodriguez has admitted that even he doesn't know where he will be playing his football this season, citing his current situation as 'complicated'.

The Colombian has been a Toffees player since the beginning of the 2020/21 season and produced a great deal of excitement following his arrival from Real Madrid.

He came to Goodison Park to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti, with whom he previously worked in Spain and Germany. Under the Italian, Rodriguez enjoyed a brilliant 2014/15 season at Real Madrid, before moving to Bayern Munich on loan in 2017.

During the 2020/21 campaign, Rodriguez - like Everton in general - started very well, although faded out as time progressed. In a season somewhat hindered by injuries, he contributed six goals and five assists in the Premier League as Everton ultimately finished an underwhelming tenth place.

And, following Ancelotti's surprise switch back to Madrid after last season, new Everton manager Rafael Benitez has made Rodriguez one of the many players available for transfer for the right price, causing uncertainty over the midfielder's future.

On a live Twitch stream, the 30-year old told supporters of his future (quoted by the Daily Mail) : "I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know – I don't know where I'm going to play.

"You know that in football and in life you don't know anything, but all I know is that I've been training hard, preparing well, training for myself and that's it," he continued. "It's complicated. [I will play] wherever I'm wanted. Someone has to be at a place they're wanted."

Wherever the Colombian plies his trade next term, he has stated that it definitely won't be at former side Real Madrid. Rodriguez spent six years at the Santiago Bernebeu between 2014 and 2020 - two of which were spent on loan at Bayern - scoring 37 goals and assisting a further 42 in 125 appearances.

Ancelotti and Rodriguez will not reunite at Real Madrid | Pool/Getty Images

However, he confirmed that he won't be reuniting with Ancelotti on this occasion to make a return to the Spanish capital. When asked if he would go back, Rodriguez replied: "No, I don't think so. That is a closed cycle which I won't repeat."

Source: 90min