2024 has been a year of uncertainty and speculation surrounding James Rodríguez, the talented Colombian midfielder whose career has been marked by both flashes of inspiration and episodes of instability. Recently, his name made headlines again, this time due to his situation with the Sao Paulo FC, sparked a flood of rumors about his professional future.
What happened to James Rodriguez in Sao Paulo?
James Rodríguez, who moved to Sao Paulo in 2023, has experienced moments of tension with the Brazilian club. His absence in important games, such as the Brazilian Super Cup final against Palmeiras, has raised doubts about his adaptability and continuity. Added to this is the information that James has been missing from training, which has fueled speculation about a possible departure. The Brazilian press indicates that the player and the board will meet soon to discuss his contract situation.
James Rodríguez arrived in Sao Paulo in 2023. Photo: Sao Paulo
Where will James Rodriguez play?
The future of James Rodríguez seems far from Brazil. Recent reports suggest that Turkey's Besiktas have shown strong interest in the player and have even reached a preliminary agreement to sign him until mid-2025, subject to his physical condition. This potential transition would mark James' return to Europe, where he enjoyed his greatest professional success, and begin a new chapter in his career.
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Why didn't James Rodríguez play against Palmeiras?
James Rodríguez's absence from the game against Palmeiras was attributed to physical and psychological problems. The coach of Sao Paulo, Thiago Carpini, mentioned that the player has an injury A chronic calf injury that prevents him from training regularly affects his emotional well-being and on-field performance. This situation has raised concerns both within and outside the club about James' ability to overcome these obstacles and return to his best form.
Given what happened, Carlos Belmonte, The football director of the institution in São Paulo spoke about the situation of the experienced midfielder and left him a clear message.
“We took him in quite naturally. He hasn't had any problems since he arrived. He trains and works. But Brazilian football is more intense and he didn't know how to adapt. He is a player from a different league. Then he does that.” If he doesn’t play, he’s not happy. Of course I wish he were here. He asked not to be there and we respect that. We continue to work to ensure he stays with us. I said it about Daniel Alves. Nobody is bigger than São Paulo. We work for São Paulo,” he said in an interview with Globo Esporte.
Which clubs did James Rodriguez play for?
James Rodríguez, the talented Colombian footballer, has had an outstanding international career, defending the colors of several teams in different countries. Below I present the clubs where he played:
- Envigado: James made his debut in the Colombian league in 2006 with Envigado
- Banfield: In 2009 he shone in Argentina with Banfield and won the Apertura tournament
- FC Porto: In Portugal he had a dream season with Porto, winning local titles and the UEFA Europa League
- AS Monaco: The Principality team has reunited James with Radamel Falcao. After the 2014 World Cup he made the jump real Madrid
- real Madrid: In Spain, together with coach Carlo Ancelotti, he won one league title and six continental titles, including two Club World Cups
- Bayern Munich: In Germany, James again won five local titles under Ancelotti
- Everton: In England, the midfielder was managed by Carlo Ancelotti
- Sao Paulo: In Brazil, the Colombian “10” played very little and was questioned by the fans.