Reports in Spain have claimed Manchester United are prepared to pay £63m to land Real Madrid target James Rodriguez and abandon their pursuit of Bernabeu ace Angel di Maria.
It is no secret that Monaco star Rodriguez is high on the ‘most wanted’ lists of some of the Premier League’s top sides following his stunning performances for his national team Colombia in the World Cup this summer.
One such club is United who, with new boss Louis van Gaal, are on a mission to make vast improvements in the wake of a shambolic last season under former manager David Moyes.
With the player already looking set for a move to Spain, Real are believed to have reached a verbal agreement with the 22-year-old’s agent and are said to be thrashing out terms with Monaco over his £70m price tag.
Spanish source AS claims Monaco are pushing for a quick sale and would let the player go for £63m, however Real are relying on their Argentine midfielder Angel di Maria being snapped up by admirers United in order to raise funds to push through the purchase of Rodriguez.
With United in a strong financial position having just sealed a £750M sponsorship deal with Adidas for next season’s kit, they have the power to be spoilt with riches and could be set to put the La Liga giants’ noses out of joint over their prime target.
Having gone quiet on di Maria this past week, the Manchester heavyweights are believed to be on the brink of making their decision between the two playmakers and are ready to slam £63m on the table for Rodriguez as he ticks their boxes in terms of age, pace and versatility in the midfield.