Cristiano Ronaldo requests James Rodríguez at Juventus
James Rodríguez is likely to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Serie A champions Juventus, former Bayern Munich captain Lothar Matthäus believes.
Cristiano Ronaldo has told James Rodríguez to join Juventus, according to Lothar Matthäus.
James – who is currently preparing for Colombia's Copa América campaign – is set to leave Real Madrid this off-season.
The playmaker has spent the last two campaigns on loan at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, but will not extend his stay in Germany.
And Bayern great Matthäus believes the 27-year-old has his heart set on a move to Serie A, with James' former Madrid club-mate Ronaldo having instructed him to join Juve.
"James can serve Ronaldo so that he can score"
"I see him at Juventus," Matthäus told AS. "We had a conversation two weeks ago, during the celebration of Bayern's Bundesliga win.
"He is very close to Ronaldo and told me that he was in contact with him and that he has told him that he wants to have him at Juventus.
"I understand why as James can serve Ronaldo so that he can score and the two of them can shine."
James signed for Madrid in 2014, on the back of starring for Colombia and winning the golden boot at the World Cup in Brazil.
Juve are not the only Italian club rumoured to be interested in the former Monaco player, with Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti, who was in charge of Los Blancos when James arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu, reportedly keen on his services.
Maurizio Sarri looks set to be appointed as Juve's coach, following Massimiliano Allegri's departure at the end of last season, with a compensation package reportedly agreed with Chelsea.