It is now three years on from when James Rodriguez departed Everton following just 12 months at the club.
Having joined from Real Madrid back in 2020, it was a real coup of a signing from Everton to bring in a player of that calbire.
But it was not one that lasted too long with James Rodriguez leaving for a new adventure in Qatar just one year after making the move to Goodison Park.
Since leaving Merseyside, it has not been an easy ride for the Colombia international who is now onto his fourth club in just three years.
And in a recent interview with the Toffees, the 33-year-old has provided insight on his honest thoughts about leaving the club back in 2021.
James Rodriguez shares how many more years he wanted at Everton
Over his 12 months at Goodison, the Colombian was able to rack up 26 appearances across all competitions.
During those games, Rodriguez was able to provide the Blues with a return of six goals and eight assists.
However, the departure of Carlo Ancelotti and the arrival of Rafael Benitez was a big development which saw the midfielder’s time on Merseyside come crashing to an end.
- READ MORE: Troy Deeney is in complete disagreement to Graeme Souness as he issues ‘worried’ Everton verdict
Speaking to the Everton YouTube channel, Rodriguez admitted he pictured himself spending another two-three years with the club before Benitez’s arrival.
“Yes, I’ve spoken about this in interviews before and I didn’t want to leave the club, either. But the new manager had arrived, and we all know who that is, and he said that I wasn’t going to feature in his plans,” he said.
“I never wanted to leave, that much is obvious. I felt that I could have gone on to play two or three seasons more at the club. But it’s plain to see that the manager said that he wouldn’t be wanting me to be involved at all.
“The supporters wanted me to stay, and so did I. But in the end, that’s just football for you. What happened then is now all in the past, but it was a real shame because I believed that I could have gone on to achieve more in my time at Everton football club.”
Everton could really do with a player like James Rodriguez
The opening three games of the season have been a real concern for the Blues who now sit rock bottom of the table.
And in those games there has been a real disconnect seen – especially in the Tottenham defeat – between defence and attack.
Having a playmaker like Rodriguez in the side could have made a world of difference in providing Dominic Calvert-Lewin with some support in the transition.
However, it seems as if Benitez is the man to blame for Everton losing their two-times Champions League winner in the Colombian.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
