Real Madrid Rejected Arsenal's Huge Bid for James Rodriguez

Arsenal have had a bid for Real Madrid forward James Rodriguez rejected by the Spanish and European champions. Though the exact amount offered by the Gunners for the Chelsea and Manchester United target is unknown, it does fall short of Real's £69.8m ($90.3m) valuation.

The Colombia international's days at the Bernabeu appear to be numbered after he was left out of the squad for the Champions League final against Juventus. The 25-year-old made just 13 starts in the Spanish top-flight last season and has fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Isco and Marco Asensio.

Spanish television programme El Chiringuito (according to The Express) claim Arsenal have submitted an official bid for James, which has been dismissed by Zinedine Zidane's side. The offer is said to fall just short of his valuation and could mean the north Londoners return with a follow-up offer.

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, says just three new players will arrive during the summer window with the first coming in the form of Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer from Schalke. The French boss has downplayed expectations over swathes of new faces arriving at the Emirates Stadium but insists the calibre of players targeted by the club will not be affected by a failure to qualify for next season's Champions League.

One possible reason for showing an interest in James could be as part of an effort to cover for the loss of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, who are on the verge of entering the final 12 months of their respective contracts. Neither player has committed their future to the club beyond 2018 and should Arsenal have any ambition of cashing in on the pair they must surely sanction their departures this summer.

Wenger has steadfastly denied the pair will leave before their deals expire, but the club's stance could be strongly tested this summer should either player indicate they have no intention of extending their spells. The 67-year-old has admitted however that only in the event of Arsenal identifying replacements for either Sanchez or Ozil will they consider allowing the star duo to leave.

Source: Skysports

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Roma Midfielder Signs New Deal with Italian Club

Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has signed a new four-year contract with the Serie A club. The 29-year-old Belgium international had been linked with Manchester United in Italian media, while Chelsea were also reported to be interested. This was coupled by suggestions that Nainggolan was growing impatient with the numerous delays in receiving a contract proposal from the capital club. However, the 29-year-old has put any doubts about his future to bed by extending his contract until 2021, in a deal that will see him earn €4.5 million per season, including bonuses, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I think I have demonstrated that this is what I always wanted," Nainggolan said. "I'm very happy that the club and I can continue our adventure and move forward together." Nainggolan has played 161 times for Roma since joining from Cagliari in 2014. Nainggolan becomes the third senior central midfielder to extend their contract at Roma th...

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Tiemoue Bakayoko is a Better Player than Nathaniel Chalobah, Insists Antonio Conte

Antonio Conte has been forced to defend his Chelsea transfer policy after replacing homegrown youngster Nathaniel Chalobah with the £40million signing of Tiemoue Bakayoko. The Blues have long been criticised for favouring big-name and big-money transfers over promoting their own youth talent, and the purchase of Bakayoko whilst selling Chalobah looks to be the latest example. Chalobah, 22, played 15 games for Chelsea last season but struggled to hold down a regular place in the side before a £5m move to Watford this summer. Conte, however, insists that Bakayoko is a major upgrade given his experience of winning major honours and competing in the biggest competitions such as the Champions League. ‘I think, honestly, at this moment there is a great difference between the two players,’ Conte said. ‘You are talking about one player who has played with Monaco, who has maybe 100 appearances for that club. ‘He has played in the Champions League and has played regularly. ...

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