Real Madrid boss Lopetegui insists upon negotiating James Rodriguez return

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Real Madrid continue to look for ways to strengthen their midfield, and Julen Lopetegui is insisting upon the club discussing James Rodriguez’s return from his loan spell with Bayern Munich.

It’s long been known that the former Porto midfielder thoroughly enjoyed his time in Madrid and would love to return, but a difficult professional relationship with Zinedine Zidane made this impossible.

With the French coach no longer in place, his successor is determined to get the best out of the Colombian and has encouraged him to force his way out of the Allianz Arena a year earlier than planned.

Unfortunately for the Spanish coach, Bayern Munich hold all the cards in negotiations having agreed a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2017.

The only way the playmaker could return to LaLiga this summer would be if the Bavarian club agree to void the terms of the loan agreement, something they haven’t yet shown any desire to do.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible rate of production will be sorely missed at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and Lopetegui is desperate to make up the creative shortfall whilst working within the club’s budget.

Contact between the Spaniard and the player has already started and there is optimism that any potential roadblocks to a deal can be overcome eventually.

Rodriguez has a great relationship with supporters in the Spanish capital, he was given a standing ovation when he returned with the German champions in the Champions League semi-final.

If an agreement can’t be found with Bayern this summer then the player will remain in the Bundesliga until at least the end of the 2018/19 season.

There is an embedded option to purchase the former Monaco star on a permanent basis, however that would depend on the will of the player, which at this moment is to return to Los Blancos.

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