Used my free article. Pls sir, provide copy.
Everton are close to signing James Rodríguez from Real Madrid and the Colombia international has been given permission not to train with the Spanish giants on Monday in an attempt finally to sort out his future.
The Telegraph revealed last week that the Premier League club had held talks over a deal for Rodríguez in what would be the coup of the transfer window so far.
It is understood that those talks have remained positive and are now close to being concluded with Everton increasingly confident of securing the play-maker.
In fact it is hoped that Rodríguez will undergo a medical later this week with an announcement of a permanent transfer, expected to be on a three-year contract, to follow quickly.
The 29-year-old has just 10 months left on his contract at Real who are demanding a fee for Rodríguez even though he is surplus to requirements. Real have been asking for around €25 million (£22.3m) and although Everton have been hoping to negotiate a lower fee it is not thought to be a deal-breaker.
Significantly for Everton Rodríguez is understood to be willing to take a substantial pay cut to be reunited with Carlo Ancelotti who has been instrumental in the negotiations.
If he joins Everton it will be the third time that Rodríguez has played under Ancelotti who was his coach at Real Madrid in his first season with the club in 2014-15 – after he joined from Monaco for £63m - a
nd took him on loan to Bayern Munich.
Even though Rodríguez has had limited opportunities in recent seasons his statistics – for goals and assists – remain impressive and it will be fascinating to see how he adapts to the Premier League especially under a coach who has such faith in him.
Ancelotti spoke to Rodríguez last week to explain his plans for the player and Everton where his first signing as manager will be
the Brazil midfielder Allan, a player he also previously worked with - at Napoli, after a deal worth €25m plus €2.6m in add-ons was struck with the Italian club. Napoli’s chairman, Aurelio De Laurentis, told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli: “We are at the final farewell. Allan will go to Everton.”
