Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is an ‘unexpected ally’ for Real Madrid in their attempts to offload James Rodríguez this summer.
The Spanish club are keen to get rid of the Colombian in the coming months as his contract is due to expire next summer and they need the money from the sale to help the club financially amid the Coronavirus outbreak.
Finding a suitor for the 28-year-old is not proving to be an easy task, though, with his saleability having dropped drastically in recent years.
Sport, however, report that Everton’s Ancelotti could help his old club out by making a move for the Colombian.
He also tried to sign him for former club Napoli last summer when the midfielder returned from a loan spell in Bavaria.
Thus he could prove ‘key’ to Madrid’s attempts to get Rodríguez out of the club, although one major obstacle is the player himself.
He has so far been ‘reluctant’ to move to the Premier League before now, and it remains to be seen if that is still his thinking.
Sport’s belief is that the outbreak of COVID-19 and the ‘change in the footballing landscape’ that has caused may be enough to make him reconsider and be tempted by the move to Everton. Madrid are counting on it being the case.
