In the pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid's clash against Deportivo La Coruna, Zinedine Zidane answers questions related to James Rodriguez's future in the club.
Since Zidane took over Real Madrid, James Rodriguez has been struggling to nail a regular starting place and has dropped down the pecking order. There's been plenty of talk about Rodriguez's transfer ever since, especially for the transfer window next year. Juventus, Inter and Chelsea FC are said to be interested in acquiring him. Not only that, other prominent figures in football such as Maturana have expressed their recommendation for Rodriguez to move to another club already.
Zidane shot down the rumors and said that "James isn't going to leave in January, for certain. I don't want him to leave." However, the Real Madrid manager didn't confirm whether or not James Rodriguez will start for their match against Deportivo. What is clear though is that the midfielder will remain until at least the end of the season.
The Colombian international had an impressive display in Real Madrid's match against Borussia Dortmund last Wednesday, but it remains to be seen whether that is enough to get a solid place in the lineup. There are several players confirmed by Zidane to be rested for the next game such as Karim Benzema and there might be a chance for James Rodriguez to shine again.
While the midfielder's situation under Zidane still leaves something to be desired, James Rodriguez has stated in a past interview while he was still playing for Benfield that he very much wanted to emulate the playing style of the Real Madrid boss. It remains to be seen whether or not the Frenchman would recognize his skills and give him a regular starting place.
See James Rodriguez's impressive performance in the match against Borussia Dortmund here: