James Rodríguez and São Paulo negotiate friendly ending

The Colombian player did not complete two seasons with the São Paulo team and his departure is more than certain. His contract was up until the middle of next year and breaking it will cost São Paulo a high amount.

To sign James, the team paid 19 million reais, the termination of the agreement is around 30 million reais, but in conversations with the club, he agreed to give up part of that amount.

The media expects the announcement to come out this week. There has been a lot of talk and speculation, but it seems that now all that is missing are the signatures.

“I love him. The way he plays… we couldn’t fit him in, he’s a number 10, he played for Real Madrid, he was voted the best player in the Copa América. It’s a shame he doesn’t fit in here, because he’s one of the greatest players I’ve played with. I really like the way he plays, but today we are what we are.” – declared Calleri after yesterday’s game (30).

James Rodriguez's Future

Without anything concrete yet, speculation is that the player will return to Spain. Spanish sports newspaper ''Marca'' reported that Madrid club Rayo Vallecano intends to make a good offer to James, who would arrive to add to the team during its centenary year.

The idea that James Rodriguez will return to play in La Liga, after 10 years away from European football, excites the player's fans.

The passage through SPFC

He arrived in the capital of São Paulo in July 2023, a year ago, but only started 22 games and scored just two goals for the club. When he was announced, expectations were quite high, as he is a great player and showed excitement about being in Brazil. James is fluent in Portuguese, enjoys pagode and is friends with several Brazilian players, such as Marcelo and Rafinha.

“Football has taken me to many places, but there is one place that has left a special mark on my heart. It was in Brazil, in 2014, that I was definitively introduced to the world. During the World Cup, with my national team, I experienced one of the best feelings a player can experience. It was like a dream, a magic.”,speaks of James Rodríguez in his presentation at São Paulo.

_{James at the Copa América (Reproduction/ErikLesser)}

In this year's Copa América, Colombia won second place and James was elected the best player of the championship. Commentators point out that this award made the player realize that he did not fit in at São Paulo and decided to leave Brazil.

Featured Photo: James for São Paulo (Reproduction/RubensChiri)