Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that Jese Rodriguez could soon join Paris Saint-Germain but said the young attacker may return to the Bernabeu next summer.
Reports in France, including L’Equipe and BeIN Sports, say PSG and Madrid have agreed a fee of €25 million for Jese, who at 23 years old is still in search of regular first-team football.
In Spain, AS also expects Jese to join PSG but says Madrid would prefer a loan deal, which would allow them to take him back next summer even if they fail to overturn their FIFA transfer ban.
In recent years, Madrid have sold homegrown youngsters such as Dani Carvajal, who joined Bayer Leverkusen, and Alvaro Morata, who spent two years at Juventus, only to later bring them back for first-team duty, although RMC Sport reports that such an arrangement is not permitted in France.
Speaking ahead of Madrid’s International Champions Cup game against Bayern Munich in New Jersey on Wednesday night, Zidane told a news conference: “It is not finalised yet.
“It is still [being worked on] as you know. There is nothing signed, but it is close. When we get back to Madrid we will know more about this with Jese.
“[PSG] are a good team, I hope it goes well for him, but Madrid is his home. He has been here his whole life. Maybe it is just for one year, then he returns home.”
Canary Islander Jese was a regular substitute under Zidane during the second half of the 2015-16 season but, although he featured in 38 games across all competitions, he did not once complete 90 minutes.
Morata’s return, along with the emergence of Lucas Vazquez, would likely result in even less playing time in the coming campaign, and Zidane said earlier this summer that if the forward were a family member he would advise him to look for playing time wherever he can get it.
Real Madrid Castilla striker Mariano was preferred for Madrid’s most recent preseason game, the 3-2 International Champions Cup win over Chelsea in Ann Arbor last Saturday.
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