Could Arsenal get James Rodriguez? Well, a deal is certainly looking plausible if Arsene Wenger matches Real Madrid’s valuation for the Colombia star. James struggled to hold down a regular spot in Zinedine Zidane’s starting line-up last season and reports suggest that the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner may be set for a move to the Premier League before the transfer window slams shut at the end of August.

James is a special talent – that much is obvious. He has been underutilised at the Santiago Bernabeu and Arsenal could certainly do with his enhanced prowess and threat in attacking areas. With Danny Welbeck out injured for the first half of the campaign, the Gunners are pinning their hopes on Olivier Giroud and that hasn’t exactly worked out well in the past. Theo Walcott’s versatility will come in handy but he simply isn’t as good as the Colombia international.

And some will claim that James simply isn’t as good as Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez. Last season, Mahrez was unbelievable. He was winning matches almost single-handedly and the former Le Havre man attracted plenty of attention from Europe’s elite clubs. However, it is hard to picture him in an Arsenal shirt – he doesn’t seem to fit the bill. James looks much more like an Arsenal player; he certainly boasts a much wider range of skills.

As of July 17th, Real Madrid aren’t pushing to sell the attacking midfielder but they may need to sign a replacement in order to challenge Barcelona’s dominance in La Liga. Real are currently priced at 5/4 to win the title in Bet365’s La Liga betting markets and they will certainly be worse off if James leaves the club this summer. But Real Madrid’s loss would be Arsenal’s gain and Wenger’s men could even make a genuine title bid of their own with the Colombian in the side.

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In a nutshell, James Rodriguez has it all. He can shoot, he can pass, he can create opportunities and he can dribble; he is an incredibly skilfull footballer. And while many will claim that we don’t need another attacking midfielder, James’ versatility would give Wenger another option to use upfront. If Giroud is failing to inspire confidence, the current Real man could play either as a ‘false nine’ or as a like-for-like replacement.

Whilst he isn’t a natural striker, he has shown his prowess in the penalty area in the past – both in international football and at club level. Yes, an out-and-out striker would potentially be a better option but James’ intelligence will appeal to Wenger’s nature. The Frenchman loves creative stars and Rodriguez is just that. He has the skills to unlock any defence in world football and he would be a brilliant asset alongside the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

 

Many Arsenal fans will be wanting Riyad Mahrez and it’s easy to understand why. He had a fantastic campaign but James Rodriguez is the real prize – especially as he is likely to be cheaper than the Leicester player. The Colombia international scores goals, suits Arsenal’s style of play and could be the man to fire the Gunners back to the summit of English football.