---
title: "Exclusive: Marcus Bent resigned to losing James Rodriguez to Real Madrid"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/exclusive-marcus-bent-resigned-to-losing-james-rodriguez-to-real-madrid-e164/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Jake Sanders"
section: "Everton"
published: "2021-07-09T16:00:46Z"
modified: "2021-07-09T16:00:46Z"
---

# Exclusive: Marcus Bent resigned to losing James Rodriguez to Real Madrid

**Marcus Bent has exclusively told [The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/) that James Rodriguez couldn’t turn down a return to Real Madrid.**

Rodriguez arrived at Goodison Park from the Spanish giants 12 months ago but has been linked with a return to Madrid following the re-appointment of Carlo Ancelotti last month.

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He only signed a two-year contract when he made the switch to the Premier League, meaning he recently entered the final [12 months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-rodriguez/profil/spieler/88103) of that deal.

And according to the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9716285/James-Rodriguez-ready-follow-Carlo-Ancelotti-Everton-exit-door.html), the Colombian is keen on reuniting with Ancelotti already, who he has been signed by twice previous in his career – the first being for Madrid from Monaco in 2014.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”363959″\]

Rodriguez made a bright start to life at Everton, contributing [six goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-rodriguez/leistungsdaten/spieler/88103/plus/0?saison=2020) in his first five Premier League games as Ancelotti’s men topped the table during the early parts of the season.

But injuries and a loss of form made for a frustrating final few months for the 29-year-old, and therefore Bent wouldn’t blame him for leaving Everton.

He told [The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/):

*“Ancelotti liked him, going to Real Madrid, and wanting to sign him.*

*“If social media are talking sense, then that’s where you want to go – you can’t turn down Real Madrid. And if you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go.”*