Transfer Centre

Florentino Perez: 'James Rodriguez future down to Zinedine Zidane'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 04 June 2017

Florentino Perez hopes to see "incredible player" James Rodriguez remain with Real Madrid beyond the end of the summer transfer window.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has insisted that he wants to keep James Rodriguez at the club, but will leave the decision over the midfielder's future to boss Zinedine Zidane.

The Colombia international's playing days at the Bernabeu appear to be over following his Champions League final snub, failing to make the 18-man squad for the 4-1 win over Juventus.

Rodriguez had already been tipped to make a summer exit due to a lack of playing time this season, with Manchester United reportedly willing to spend big to land his signature.

Zidane is the man who will have the final say, although Perez has made it clear that he wants "incredible" Rodriguez to remain in the Spanish capital.

"We're going to speak with Zidane, who's the conductor of this orchestra. If it were up to me, everyone would stay," he told Antena 3.

"James is an incredible player, but when you have so many... I'd have everyone stay. We'll speak with the coach; he is the person who will decide the future."

Rodriguez, who started just 13 league games during the 2016-17 season, is also reportedly on the radar of Inter Milan.