Zinedine Zidane has responded to rumours and confirmed that Spanish forward Jese Rodriguez is close to a move to Ligue-1 champions Paris-Saint Germain. A fee thought to be in the range of €25 million has been agreed between the clubs and the deal will most likely be completed in the next 72 hours.
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A product of Real Madrid’s youth system, Jese is renowned for his technical ability and dribbling prowess. His pace, coupled with his ability to finish with both feet drew comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo. One of the brightest footballing prospects to have emerged from Spain in recent times, he was voted one of the 20 most promising young players in Europe in 2014.
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Jese scored 8 goals in 31 appearances for Madrid in his first full season with the first team. Several injuries have hampered his development. Currently, he has managed just 18 goals in 94 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Jese has just one season left on his current contract and the Madrid management are keen on cashing in on him while they can. The 23-year-old has enjoyed limited success at the Bernabeu in the Zidane era. Although Jese made 38 appearances for the club in the 2015/16 season, he did not complete 90 minutes even once. With playing time expected to be further limited with the arrival of Alvaro Morata and the emergence of Vasquez, Jese appears keen on a move away from the football club.
Zidane, while speaking to reporters all but confirmed the young Spaniard’s move by saying, “It’s still not finished, but it’s on the way. Is PSG an ideal fit for him? I think so. He’s going to score a lot of goals there. I hope it goes well for him there, but Madrid will always be his home. He has been here his whole life. Maybe it is just for one year, then he returns home.”
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to England, Jese will have opportunities to showcase his talent. Although Jese is expected to be mainly utilised as a winger, he can also provide more than adequate backup to star striker Edinson Cavani.
Real Madrid next face Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup, while PSG face off against Lyon in the Field Trophy.
