Former Madrid Castilla coach Alberto Toril says his ex-charge and potential Chelsea target Jese Rodriguez has a big decision to make over whether to stay at Real Madrid or not this summer.
Jese, 22, burst to prominence with eight goals in 26 appearances for Madrid's first team during the first half of the 2013-14 season, including a well taken strike against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, before suffering a serious knee injury which sidelined him for nine months.
Since returning to full fitness last December the homegrown attacker has come from the bench on 14 different occasions, mostly in the last quarter of the match.
However the forward has not started one game, showing his frustration on a number of occasions including when at first refusing to leave the bench late in last month's La Liga win at Elche.
Premier League side Chelsea are among the clubs who have been linked with a move for the forward, with former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho reported to be a fan.
Toril, 41, told AS that uppermost in Jese's thoughts will be the playing time he will get next season, saying: "[Jese] would like to continue at Madrid, but he will also have the ambition to play regularly. It is up to him. He will decide in June."
Toril said the quick attacker, who has scored just once in 14 substitute appearances this term, needed a run of games to get back to full match sharpness.
"He looks good to me mentally and physically," he continued. "What he needs is to compete, and playing time, that is the only way to pick up rhythm. If he does not play, it is difficult to get back to his best level."
The former Castilla coach suggested it was difficult for the forward coming from the bench with Madrid struggling in recent games.
"Sometimes he comes in when the situation is unfavourable, which is even more difficult," he said. "When he has a run of games he will return to his best. You also have to consider that the worst position for him is on the right wing."
Toril believes it is even tougher for Jese with Madrid's BBC strike force of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo publicly declared as undroppable by coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"He knows that the BBC play almost all the time, but at the end there are 70 games in a season and time for everyone," he added. "Ancelotti will have his reasons, but saying that some players might relax."