Napoli Prepared to Offer James Rodriguez Famous No.10 Shirt in Bid to Finalise Move From Real Madrid
James Rodriguez could be offered the No.10 shirt at Napoli, which has not been worn by another player since Diego Maradona's time at the club, as I Partenopei look to finalise the Colombian midfielder's move from Real Madrid.
Rodriguez's arrival is yet to be confirmed, with Madrid seeking a permanent transfer worth €50m, whilst Napoli would prefer an initial €10m loan deal alongside an option to buy at the end of the season for a further €30m.
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Giving Rodriguez the iconic No. 10 shirt would likely infuriate Napoli's fans given Maradona's legendary status at the club. The Argentinian World Cup winner was incredibly popular during his time in southern Italy, playing a pivotal role as I Partenopei won two league titles in the space of four seasons, leading to his shirt being retired when he departed Naples.
Yet according to AS, Napoli's owner Aurelio De Laurentiis views Rodriguez as a potential superstar, and is willing to make the iconic shirt available again to ensure that Rodriguez joins the club. Should Rodriguez complete his move to Napoli, he can expect a major unveiling when he returns from competing in the Copa America.
The playmaker has been plying his trade in Germany for the past two seasons, helping Bayern Munich to consecutive Bundesliga titles by scoring 14 goals and providing 15 assists during his 43 league appearances.
Despite his success in Bavaria, Rodriguez has not forced his way back in to Madrid's plans. The two-time Champions League winner still finds himself some way down the pecking order with Los Blancos, as Zinedine Zidane instead brought in Eden Hazard from Chelsea earlier this summer, pushing Rodriguez closer to the exit door.
