Bayern have until June to activate a 42m-euro purchase option on James, but a decision is being held up by a division of opinion among club chiefs.
James Rodríguez’s future remains very much in the air. According to Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk, Bayern Munich bosses are divided on what to do with the Colombia international, who is currently on a two-year loan in Bavaria from Real Madrid.
Rummenigge wants to keep James, Hoeness doesn’t
As part of the deal for James, Bayern negotiated a 42m-euro purchase option that is valid until June, but a difference of opinion on the part of club chiefs Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness continues to hold up a decision on whether or not to activate the clause.
While Bayern CEO Rummenigge is keen to make James’ stay permanent, club president Hoeness remains unconvinced by the 28-year-old’s performances and is against the move. The latter’s stance appears more likely to prevail, reports Falk, as he is also chairman of the German champions’ supervisory board, which has the final word on such matters.
James minded to leave Bayern, but Madrid return unlikely
The player himself is yet to publicly address the issue, preferring to sidestep every question he faces on where he’ll be next season. Although his hitherto fractious relationship with Bayern coach Niko Kovac has now improved, the 2014 World Cup’s top scorer has never fully settled in Munich and is minded to leave at the end of the season.
However, given James’ frosty rapport with Zinedine Zidane, the Frenchman’s re-appointment as Madrid coach has left James’ prospects of returning to the Bernabéu in the balance, and the LaLiga club’s preference would be to cash in on the midfielder to help fund swoops for summer targets such as Eden Hazard.
As a result, James’ future could well lie at Juventus or in the Premier League, where there is no shortage of interest in securing his services.