Everton moves for James and Bale would be crazy

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Everton are eying up an ambitious double swoop for Real Madrid pair James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale. Spanish publication Marca is reporting that Los Blancos would be happy to listen to offers for the pair.

Carlo Ancelotti being ambitious

No doubt Everton head coach Carlo Ancelotti is ambitious. The Merseysider’s are ambitious too, as the appointment of the iconic Italian boss proved. Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has put his money where his mouth is when it has come to signings and bosses.

However, there have been lots of mistakes by the club in recruitment and appointments of bosses. There is optimism amongst everybody connected with the Toffees that Ancelotti is the man to finally restore the glory days to the club.

Ancelotti will not be happy in midtable, so will push the club to bring the best possible players. Both players are of the profile that the Italian wants to bring to Merseyside.

Unwanted in Madrid

Gareth Bale’s situation in the Spanish capital is a strange one. He joined as a potential Galactico signing for a then world-record fee. However, despite scoring some crucial goals, including in Champions League finals, the Welshman is not loved by the Madridistas.

The theory is that Bale has never fully bought into life in Madrid. That he is more interested in playing golf than playing for Los Blancos. Reportedly he does not mix well with his clubmates, which at a club like Real Madrid is vital. His record of injuries, although no fault of his own has also not helped him.

James Rodriguez is another player who arrived in Madrid for a big fee with big expectations. However, he has experienced a mixed six years at the club, including a mixed two-year loan spell at German giants Bayern Munich.

Rodriguez at 28 has struggled to fulfil his potential and is another player who has never fully endeared himself to the highly fickle Bernabeu support.

It is safe to say that Real Madrid would be relatively open to parting with the pair. There is an argument that few tears would be shed over either’s exit. Real Madrid are in a transition period in Zinedine Zidane’s second spell at the club. He is attempting to rebuild a team and Bale and Rodriguez do not seem to fit into that plan.

Bad move for all parties

Ancelotti may be ambitious, but a double move for the Real Madrid pair looks like a bad one all around. Everton already have a squad that needs trimming with a lot of deadwood, underperforming players sucking the money out of the club’s coffers.

The Toffees will need to cut their squad whenever the next transfer window starts. They have been paying big wages for players who have simply not helped the team achieve success in recent years. Adding two such big earners to the wage bill would be an FFP disaster.

Ancelotti would have problems persuading the pair to join Everton, who are unlikely to be playing European football in the next campaign, whenever that may be.

The Toffees would offer good wages. However, Bale is on ludicrous wages and the Welshman has already stated he is happy to see out his contract in Madrid, even if it is just playing golf for the rest of his time in the Spanish capital.

James looks a slightly more likely signing for the Toffees. They would face competition for his signature, though. Whether the good relationship he had with Ancelotti would be enough to clinch the signing is unclear.

As an Everton fan, it seems moves for the pair would only end badly, even if they are better than the players already at the club. This seems like a story that some bored journalist made up in a quiet moment. I hope it is anyway.

Are Gareth Bale or James Rodriguez realistic transfer targets for Everton?