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Arsenal: James Rodriguez Not Even The Belle Of The Ball
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal are still being linked to James Rodriguez, but all things considered, he isn’t even the belle of the transfer window ball when up against the competition.
Arsenal, along with just about every other big club in the world, has been linked to James Rodriguez for quite some time. Reports indicate that they are going head to head with Manchester United to land the Colombian’s signature as it is getting pretty clear that the bit part role he is playing at Real Madrid isn’t enough.
However, in what is supposed to be a let down, supposedly Juventus and Inter Milan are better suited to land the 25 year old midfielder. Meaning that the Gunners might have to fight uphill to get back into the battle.
Not a big deal, to be frank. James is a talented player who absolutely deserves more, but in Arsenal’s case, he shouldn’t be the prime target or the apple of anyone’s eye. He has not been able to latch on at Real Madrid since Zinedine Zidane took over.
In fact, since he moved from Monaco, his playing has been slowly seeping away to other incoming masterclasses.
At Real Madrid this year, he has been incredibly limited in his time, although he has made the most of that time in his goal production.
That production is not what the true belle of the ball is producing though.
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Isco is the focal point, or at least he should be. And somehow he is still a lower-profile athlete than his Colombian counterpart. And Isco would be cheaper. And he has been ready to move for quite some time now. It was back in 2014 that he was first linked to Arsenal and even then it seemed like a great idea.
No matter how you spin it, the midfield collection at the Emirates has some holes. Building around Granit Xhaka seems a sure-fire bet, but that is where the sure-firedness ends. Because the options may be numerous, but the solutions are sparse.
Santi Cazorla is still holding way too much of our hopes and with Jack Wilshere ever a question and Aaron Ramsey an enigma, it may just be time to reinvest in the midfield for a long haul, finding someone who can be Cazorla’s permanent replacement.
Next: Arsenal's Potential Starting XI Under Leonardo Jardim
James and Isco should therefore both be in the conversation, but I don’t see how James, the pricier option of the two, can rank in higher on the wishlist than Isco, who is a fountain of untapped potential.