James Rodriguez to Avellino: how close is the move to Serie B?
President D'Agostino confirms the talks are open and the player is willing, but applies the brake: the window is nearly shut. Nesta has phoned him repeatedly. No announcement, no signature: here is what is settled and what is not.
The name circulating in Italy since yesterday is James Rodriguez, and the club is Avellino, in Serie B. The negotiation is real, but it is not done, and the two things are worth keeping apart.
What is confirmed
Club president Angelo Antonio D'Agostino spoke about it on 8 September: the negotiation is open, and the player has made himself available. He also applied the brake, noting that the transfer window is almost shut and that an outlay of that size has to be weighed.
Also confirmed is the part played by head coach Alessandro Nesta, who has spoken to the Colombian by phone several times to persuade him, and by sporting director Mario Aiello, who handled contact with the player's camp.
What is not confirmed
There is no club announcement. No medical, no date, no signature. The open points are the two that settle or sink any deal: wages and contract length.
We are not printing the figures in circulation, because nobody has confirmed them.
Why it would matter
James Rodriguez is 35 and was one of the best-known players of his generation, with a past at Real Madrid and in Germany. A career like that turning up in Serie B is rare, and it explains why his name was among the most searched in Italy over the last twenty-four hours.
Meanwhile Avellino play on Sunday
Transfer talk aside, the team is in action: Avellino against Palermo, Sunday 13 September at 15:00 Italian time, in Serie B.
Our call on the game is under 4.5 goals, confidence 7 out of 10. Across Avellino's last three games our calls were settled correct all three times.
What we are waiting for
A club statement, which does not exist yet. As soon as it lands this article is updated: we would rather be a few hours late with a real fact than immediate with a rumour.
Our calls on Serie B games, with predicted lineups, are on the Serie B page, and the record of our settled calls is in the results history.