James Rodriguez, seen here during last year’s Copa America Centennario, will be joining Bayern Munich for two seasons starting this fall (photo credit: Scott Marsh)
Bayern Munich has been making a lot of moves over the Summer. They raided Hoffenheim for Niklas Süle and Sebastian Rudy and Werden Bremen for Serge Gnabry. Corentin Tolisso came from Lyon. Now, James Rodriguez is coming from Real Madrid. The clubs agreed on a two-year loan deal with the option to buy the Colombian international for Bayern.
“We’re very happy about this transfer,” said Bayern’s executive board chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “James Rodriguez was Carlo Ancelotti’s wish after both worked successfully together in Madrid. James is a versatile player, is dangerous in front of goal, creates plenty of goals and takes a good set-piece. We’ve increased the quality of the squad significantly with this transfer.”
The top scorer at the 2014 World Cup joined Real from AS Monaco after the Cup. He has scored 36 times and tallied 41 assists in 111 appearances for Real, but has recently fallen in the depth charts to Isco and Marco Asensio under Zinedine Zidane. Rodriguez will be the first Colombian to join Bayern since Adolfo Valencia (1993-1995).
THOUGHTS: This was always going to be a year where Bayern would make more of a splash compared to last season, and this is a splash. Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso needed to be replaced while Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are not going to get any younger. On the flip side, while the average age of Bayern’s squad was 29 on the final day of last season, They could also field a full XI eligible to play at this past Euro U-21s such as Süle, Tolisso, Joshua Kimmich, and Renato Sanches (assuming the latter two can improve upon last season). Again, for Bayern it’s a matter of keeping on top at home and going on top come next May in Kiev.
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