The 30-year-old Colombian professional footballer and Everton midfielder has joined Qatari side Al Rayyan for an undisclosed fee, both clubs have confirmed.
Sources previously told ESPN that Rodriguez was discussing a move with the Qatari club after Everton gave him permission to leave Goodison Park. He was told by manager Rafa Benitez, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti this summer, that he was not in his plans.
The midfielder made an impressive start after he joined from Real Madrid in September 2020, scoring three goals in his first five games, but injury and loss of form saw his contribution diminish markedly in the second half of the season.
He made a total of 26 appearances in all competitions during his time at the club.
Rodriguez began his career at Colombian side Enviagado and later Argentine side Banfield before enjoying spells at FC Porto, AS Monaco, Madrid and Bayern Munich.
He said in April that he only joined Everton so he could be reunited with Ancelotti, who had signed him for Madrid in 2014 and Bayern in 2017.
Everton had the option of extending his contract at the end of the season if he were to make enough first team appearances, but sources told ESPN that the club were keen to move his £10 million-a-year salary off the club’s wage bill.
His last appearance for the Premier League side came in a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Unitedin May.
The Portland Timbers are reportedly finalizing the transfer of the 23-year-old Argentine professional footballer from Argentine side Banfield, pending a physical and visa.
Portland will pay a transfer fee of $1 million with payments spread out over four years for 80% of Bravo’s rights, according to ESPN sources.
After breaking into the side in September of 2017, Bravo has made 55 league and cup appearances with El Taladro.
The 45-year-old Argentine former-footballer-turned-manager has confirmed that he’ll remain manager of the San Jose Earthquakes and won’t be leaving to take up the reins at Liga MX side C.F. Monterrey.
Since Almeyda was named the Quakes manager last year, there have been speculation that Almeyda would depart. Various reports last week had Almeyda exiting the Quakes to join up with LosRayados, who subsequently hired Antonio Mohamed.
Speaking at his season-ending press conference, Almeyda confirmed that he’s had several offers from different clubs over the course of the year, as well as one national team from South America. He added that his agent, Lalo Hernandez, had met with Monterrey officials.
“I thanked them that they thought about me,” said Almeyda about Monterrey with the help of a translator. “And keeping in mind the contract that I had here, I told them that I cannot keep going with these talks because my mind is here in San Jose and my players. And with the directors, we’ve talked about having project and moving up the hierarchy in this club and which I believe in, and which I’ve projected my life here now.”
Almeyda admitted that the Monterrey job was attractive, but that he sees his future in San Jose.
“A club like Monterrey is tempting to any coach, because they have a very rich squad, a marvelous club, and it’s a club in which any coach would dive in head first,” he said. “If I was in Monterrey and the same thing would have happened, I would have stayed in Monterrey because I keep my word. Many Mexican journalists have called me, throughout these days, which we spoke about. I publicly apologize because I never responded to their calls. So everything that was spoken was their own imagination and lies. That’s why I want to be honest with myself. I’ve been honest with people in San Jose, and I’ve been honest with the approach that Lalo Hernandez had there. I have nothing left to say but thank you to those people.”
Almeyda has previously managed River Plateand Banfield in his native Argentina, as well as Liga MX side Chivas. He said that in his previous stints, he had always left by mutual agreement, and not because he simply wanted to leave for a better job. Almeyda admitted that of the offers he received after his tenure with Chivas ended in 2018, San Jose’s offer was the lowest one economically.
“Coaches always get mad when we get fired,” he said. “We have to be coherent and keep going when we have a contract, although the tempting offers are 10 times larger than where you at.”
He added, “I have a group of players for which I’m grateful for what they put in. There’s staff, directors and owners who have given me all that they can. I’m only left to say that I’m grateful being in this place. I’m hopeful that this place will keep growing, that we can grow in terms of hierarchy every day. That’s why changing clubs doesn’t even cross my mind.”
In terms of next season, Almeyda said he didn’t expect there to be many changes to the Quakes’ roster and that the team would be selective in terms of its reinforcements. This despite the fact that while San Jose recorded a 23 point improvement this season, it failed to reach the MLS Cupplayoffs, losing nine of its last 11 games.
Argentina is bidding arrivederci to Giovanni Simeone…
The 21-year-old Argentine soccer player, a striker for Argentina’s Club Atlético River Plate, is set to join Italy’s Genoa Cricket and Football Club, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport announced on Sunday.
Simeone, the son of former-player-turned-coach of Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone. Has reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with the Italian side and will join Argentina national team.
Simeone will also participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
At the moment, there’s no official confirmation, but the Italian newspaper reported that the signing will cost three million euros.
The River Plate striker completed the 2015/16 season on loan with Banfield in the Argentine Primera Division.
