Real Madrid star could shockingly head to Barcelona in a swap deal

Athletic Bilbao's coach Ernesto Valverde (L) greets Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane before the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Athletic Club Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on February 13, 2016. / AFP / GERARD JULIEN (Photo credit should read GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Athletic Bilbao's coach Ernesto Valverde (L) greets Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane before the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Athletic Club Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on February 13, 2016. / AFP / GERARD JULIEN (Photo credit should read GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)

A highly regarded Real Madrid may make a stunning move to Barcelona this summer if a huge swap deal goes through.

Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez is currently on loan with Bayern Munich. However, following this season, his two-year stint in Bavaria would come to an end and the Bundesliga champions are not expected to exercise their purchase option worth 42 million euros for the Colombian, who does not have the best of terms with Niko Kovac.

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Zinedine Zidane meanwhile considers James Rodriguez surplus to his requirements and will be selling him at all costs. Bayern Munich are eyeing a squad revamp and thus, they are looking to use Zidane’s disinterest in James to their advantage. Ultimately, Die Roten could end up making James’ deal permanent and yet letting him move on.

Bayern Munich’s ambitions of a squad revamp are likely to see them spend a lot of money on replacing the outgoing duo of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. According to Fox Sports, Philippe Coutinho of Barcelona has been identified as an option to fill-in for the left wing where Niko Kovac does not have many players at his disposal.

Barcelona and Philippe Coutinho are growing distant after every match after an unsatisfactory performance from the Brazilian and all signs point towards him departing during the summer. The Catalans want to recover as much of the £142 million pounds they spent on him which Bayern might do.

The Bavarian’s are now looking to send James Rodriguez to Barcelona along with some cash if they are to strike a deal for Philippe Coutinho. James has no future at Real Madrid and his chances of breaking through at Bayern Munich also remain bleak, not because of anything else, but his relationship with his manager.

However, this deal looks difficult to go through because of James’ association with Real Madrid. The Colombian respects the club regardless of how he has been treated by Zidane and at least from the broader look of things, James doesn’t look like the player who would ditch his side to join the most bitter rival.

On a scale of 1-5, how likely is James Rodriguez to be at Barcelona next season as per you?