"?James Rodriguez appears to be nearing the end of his Real Madrid career amid further speculation that the 2014 Puskas award winner's future lies away from the Bernabeu. A report from Spain has claimed his preference would be a move to Manchester United.
According to Diario Gol, United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and former club Monaco are among five potential destinations for Rodriguez, who cost Real €80m in 2014.
It's been claimed that the presence of Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, aided by the fact that the pair share an agent - Jorge Mendes - has put a move to United at the top of the player's personal wish list.
The suggestion is that Mendes himself has made the recommendation (it was rumoured that Radamel Falcao's move to Chelsea last year was the result of a personal favour) although it remains to be seen if United actually want or have any need for the player.
Rodriguez was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford over the summer as his relationship with Los Blancos coach Zinedine Zidane came under pressure. But Mourinho was very clear in the signings he wanted to make and the Colombian didn't feature in his plans.
It also remains to be seen what impact Real's newly enforced transfer embargo will have - not just on the future of Rodriguez, but also on any other players who would otherwise have been nearing an exit.
Real have been banned from registering new players for the next two transfer windows, until January 2018, after the FIFA imposed embargo was recently upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If any players are sold in that time, the only way to replace them will be promoting from within.
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