Author: Soorya G
São Paulo FC are eyeing a major signing, entering negotiations to bring in experienced former Real Madrid midfielder James Rodríguez. The Colombian veteran, known for his talent and creativity on the pitch, is currently a free agent after leaving Greek club Olympiacos, where he played last season.
Hames became a free agent in April. The São Paulo president had the option of signing the midfielder at the time, but didn’t rush into it. During those months, the player could be at other Brazilian clubs, such as Atlético-MG or Vasco. But James should be São Paulo’s second signing of this transfer window (after the recent signing of Alexandro Pato). Recently, the Colombian, who turned 32 on July 12, posted a photo on one of his social networks in which he appears to be flying on a plane, hinting that he is on his way to Brazil.
He’ll probably play under the number 19. In order for him to take part in the second leg of the Copa do Brasil semi-final against Corinthians on August 16, the club needs time to declare him before August 8. Remember that
São Paulo lost to Corinthians 2-1
thanks to two second-half goals from Renato Augutso, away at the Corinthians Arena. An own goal from Cássio Ramos kept São Paulo in contention as they chase a draw in the second leg.
James Rodríguez caught the world’s attention for the first time during the fascinating 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The skillful midfielder showed his brilliance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with an impressive six goals. With his artistry on the pitch, he earned a well-deserved place on the list of the best players, and his stunning goal against Uruguay earned him the World Cup goal of the tournament award. The same goal won Rodrigues the coveted Puskas award in 2014.
After his impressive performances at the World Cup, James moved from Monaco to the illustrious Real Madrid. During his time there, he won several important titles, adding to his ever-growing list of accolades. However, although James shone for the Colombian national team and Porto before moving to the Spanish capital, he faced challenges in replicating the same level of brilliance at Real Madrid.
In recent years, the talented midfielder has also faced injury problems, which have limited his playing time at various clubs. During his time at Everton, former manager Rafa Benítez recognized James’ immense talent, but expressed concern about his availability, given that injuries had kept him out of a considerable number of matches.
During his career, James has played for: Colombia’s Envigado (2006-2008), Argentina’s Banfield (2008-2010), Portugal’s Porto (2010-2013), France’s Monaco (2013-2014), Spain’s Real Madrid (2014-2020), was on loan at Bayern Munich (2017-2019), then moved to England’s Everton (2020-2021), Qatar’s Air Rayyan (2021-2022) and Greece’s Olympiakos (2022-April 2023).
He is a champion of Argentina, Portugal, Spain, Germany and winner of the UEFA Europa League: 2010/11 and the UEFA Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17. With the national team, he became the bronze medalist of the America’s Cup: 2016.