James Rodriguez would favour a move to Manchester United if he left Real Madrid this summer, sources close to the Spanish club have told ESPN FC.
After a respectable first season at the Bernabeu following his £80 million move from Monaco after the 2014 World Cup, the Colombian midfielder has suffered injury and spent long periods out of the team this season, and the Champions League finalists are now considering a sale.
Sources close to Real Madrid told ESPN FC that although Zinedine Zidane likes Rodriguez as a player, the tactical shift to 4-3-3 means there is no place for him in the formation.
The 24-year-old would fetch a good price if sold, helping to fund the planned purchases for the new regime this summer if the transfer ban imposed by FIFA is suspended permanently.
If Rodriguez does go, sources told ESPN FC that Manchester United would be his preferred destination.
However, the Old Trafford transfer situation is complicated by the ongoing uncertainty over the new manager. Although it is now expected by those close to the club that Jose Mourinho will replace Louis van Gaal as manager after Saturday's FA Cup final, no deal has yet been signed.
There have been even more advanced discussions between Mourinho's camp and United representatives over the past few weeks and sources told ESPN FC that one point of negotiation was about transfers and that, if he is to take control, the Portuguese would want final say on all deals.