James Rodriguez, A Time Bomb That Can Explode Anytime

JAKARTA - The spotlight returns to James Rodriguez in the summer transfer market. Speculation surrounding the Colombian star's future continues to rumble.

This is the third part of a saga involving the midfielder, following unsuccessful loan spells at Bayern Munich and failed moves to Atletico Madrid and Napoli.

Recent rumors have linked James with Manchester United, among other Premier League clubs. However, even though it seems unlikely that a move to Queen Elizabeth's country, there is still a chance that it will survive the Spanish capital.

His contract with Los Blancos runs until June 2021 and this is enough to provide security for James. But still, it was a ticking time bomb that could explode at any time.

The Real Madrid playmaker may choose to consider his contract at the club, as Zinedine Zidane is unlikely to include him in the team's big plans next season.

If retained, Real Madrid will still have to pay the wages of non-contributing players. They will also lose potential assets if they are sold for free when their contract expires.

James's situation is arguably more complicated for the Colombian national team, who have aspirations of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The talent and affection he feels from Colombian fans has never been questioned. Yet it would be very risky for the South American nationals to rely heavily on non-playing players as they seek to qualify for major competitions.

If another team steps in and signs him, then it will only be a matter of time until he gets sharp again and gets back on his shining game.

However, the situation has become quite urgent for Real Madrid and Colombia. If this problem is not resolved quickly, it can affect both parties: in economic terms for one side and football instincts for the other.