Real Madrid icon reveals why he rejected Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in favour of Bernabeu switch | OneFootball

Manchester City have been told exactly why they had been rejected by Real Madrid and Colombia icon James Rodriguez in a transfer battle over 10 years ago.

The now 33-year-old has made no secret over his long-standing desire to make the switch to the Santiago Bernabeu in his professional career, telling one post-match interview at the 2014 FIFA World Cup that Los Blancos are his “love”, “admiration” and “passion”.

Madrid’s pursuit of the player would intensify shortly after the competition, and club officials would sanction a £63 million switch for the player, making him the fourth-most expensive transfer in the world, and the third-most expensive in Madrid’s history at the time.

But the deal did not come and go without immense competition from across the European game, such were the standard of performances put in by the South American at the World Cup in particular.

Speaking with Los Amigos de Edu as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, James Rodriguez has revealed the question that was put to him by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez when the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain were battling for his signature.

“(Manchester) City and Paris (Saint-Germain) wanted me for a much higher salary, much more,” Rodriguez revealed this week.

He continued, “Right at that moment, Florentino (Perez) also called me and said, ‘Do you want glory, or do you want money?’

“I replied, ‘Glory,’ and to which he said, ‘It’s already done’.”

While Manchester City would miss out on the signing of James Rodriguez to Real Madrid in the summer of 2014, the Etihad Stadium club remained active themselves as they signed off two big-money deals of their own.

Neither agreement would prove to be an enormous success however, as Eliaquim Mangala made the move from FC Porto to Manchester City in a €45 million agreement, while Wilfried Bony arrived from Swansea City six months later.

The likes of Fernando Reges and Willy Caballero also made the move into Manuel Pellegrini’s outfit at the time, but neither to great success despite individual iconic moments, particularly from the latter in the 2015 League Cup final victory over Liverpool.