Marca claims West Ham want to sign ex £200k pw Everton star James Rodriguez and bring him back to the Premier League.
David Moyes is in the middle of a sizeable rebuild at West Ham and a new report claims he could look to succeed where his former club Everton failed.
Moyes continues to bide his time as he goes in search of a better quality of player to help West Ham continue to challenge for the top six.
West Ham had looked set to sign midfield prodigy Amadou Onana from Lille for £33m only to pull out of the move as Everton snapped up the Belgian instead.
The Hammers boss has said he needs more players of the ilk of Dimitri Payet to ensure West Ham continue to challenge for the top six.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game at Forest this weekend, the Scot wants more goals and assists in his team.
There have been links to top class players at good ages such Lucas Paqueta and Matheus Nunes, who Moyes admitted has turned down a move to West Ham.
Now Marca claim West Ham want to sign ex £200k pw Everton star James Rodriguez and bring him back to the Premier League.
James had been the poster boy of Everton’s reckless spending under their new owners, reportedly picking up a cool £200k pw at Goodison Park.
But he lasted just one season before being shipped off to Qatar.
Marca: West Ham want to sign ex £200k pw Everton star James Rodriguez and bring him back to the Premier League
Now, according to Marca, West Ham are being linked with a move to bring him back for a second crack in England with the player said to be desperate for a return to Europe.
“It has been the year that James Rodríguez expected,” Marca reports.
“First, he has not been able to consolidate himself in the Qatar League and second, he will not be present at the World Cup that will be played in November. Injuries and lack of rhythm condemned him and that is why, as we have learned, he does not want to continue with Al Rayyan; he wants to be in a top league…
“In addition to those muscular injuries that do not allow him to consolidate, James Rodríguez will have to fight against time. In three weeks they will close the transfer market in Europe and for now there is nothing concrete.
“Let us remember that James Rodríguez was very close to Brazilian football to defend the colours of Botafogo but the same player lowered his thumb because he believes that he still has the level to play in Europe.
“There was talk of Roma but Dybala arrived and from then on they have sounded: West Ham, Galatasaray and a couple of teams in Greece.”
The same claim has been made by Fantaticos.
There was a time when James Rodriguez was one the fastest-rising stars in world football.
He captured the spotlight at the 2014 World Cup, scoring one of the best goals in tournament history.
And he finished the tournament with an outstanding six goals and two assists, the Colombian attacking midfield ace earning a move to Real Madrid for over £70m.
But if his rise was meteoric so too was the alleged West Ham target’s fall from grace.
Loaned out to Bayern Munich for two of his six years at Real, James then ended up at Everton.
But he lasted just one season scoring six goals in 26 appearances for the Toffees before being shipped out to Qatari side Al-Rayyan last September.
There he has played even less, featuring just 11 times.
At 31 this does not seem like a Moyes and Rob Newman target in any way, shape or form.
Marca is a respected outlet in Spain but we think this particular rumour is way off.
It just does not fit with the recruitment policy and philosophy at West Ham, even if the former Everton star is clearly a classy player on his day.
