£20m Rodriguez out to prove Everton mean business
EVERTON new boy James Rodriguez hopes to become the Pied Piper of Goodison Park.
Rodriguez, a spectacular £20million capture from Real Madrid, says he is ready for action when the Blues face Tottenham today despite making just one appearance in his last six months at the Bernabeu.
The Colombia international, 29, insists he has moved to Merseyside to resurrect his career under his former
Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti – and that other big names will follow when they discover that Everton’s owners really mean business.
Rodriguez said: “There are some serious-minded people at this club who mean what they say about getting Everton into the Champions League.
“Of course, it helps when you have the knowledgeable manager that we have. The club has proved their intent with the signings in this window.
“Let’s now hope in the next months we can live up to the optimism and that over a period of seasons other big names will want to join us.
“I feel great. I feel like I could play right now because sometimes when you have a lay-off it can do you good.”
Ancelotti’s brief is to end a trophy drought at Everton that has now stretched 25 years.
But the Italian also wants to take the Toffees back into Europe – and owner Farhad Moshiri has backed him in the transfer market.
Everton were able to do a cut-price deal with Madrid so the Spaniards could save on Rodriguez’s £150,000-a-week wages at the Bernabeu.
Another £50m has been spent beefing up the midfield by adding the muscular duo Abdoulaye Doucoure from Watford and Napoli’s Allan.