Este sería el nuevo equipo de James Rodríguez para 2026: sorpresivo destino para el volante camino al mundial

James Rodríguez is garnering attention in the current transfer market, having gained freedom at León to negotiate with any club for the 2026 season. Unfortunately, he has yet to find a historic team in Europe or a solid offer for his career.

Nevertheless, it seems James’s wait might soon be over as a club is reportedly interested in him, surprising many due to its limited history and its capability to make a significant offer for the 34-year-old midfielder, who was named the best player in the 2024 Copa América.

You can now follow us on Facebook and on our WhatsApp Channel

Not only would this be a great opportunity for the midfielder, but it also presents an ideal situation to gain playing time, establish himself as a starter, and maintain a good rhythm leading up to the 2026 World Cup. The player is eager to arrive in optimal condition for the Colombian national team, especially since this would likely be his last participation in the FIFA tournament.

The Colombian has struggled to secure a team for 2026, with several squads expressing interest; however, some dismissed him due to factors like age, position, and inconsistency in club performance.

Despite this, Austin FC is a team that might take a chance on James, a club in MLS that according to journalist Guillermo Arango from La FM, is interested in the midfielder and has the financial capacity to negotiate a deal, although exact details are not yet available.

After leaving São Paulo in 2024, one of the most discussed destinations for the midfielder was the United States, as few considered he had the ability to return to Europe, although he did eventually sign with Rayo Vallecano at that time.

“What I learned last week is that by the end of January he will have a team, and it is very advanced in the MLS,” said Arango, asserting that James will join North American soccer and the Texas-based club, which aims to compete for the league in 2026.

It’s worth noting that Austin was established in 2018, and since 2021 it has been a part of the MLS in the United States. In 2025, the team was the runner-up in the US Open Cup and reached the playoffs in the league, though they were eliminated in the first round by Los Angeles FC with a 6-2 aggregate score.

Jordi Cortizo, a recent signing for León, stated in Claro Sports that the FIFA disqualification of La Fiera from the 2025 Club World Cup for violating the rules regarding multiple ownership impacted the Colombian midfielder significantly, leading to a decline in his performance that year: “I wasn’t in the locker room, but I understand James came for the Club World Cup, got demotivated, and that affected the entire squad.”

“I had to go to the World Cup with Monterrey, but it really impacted me, because such a tournament generates a lot of expectations. It was a heavy blow,” the player stated, adding that León “struggled to find that motivation or to get out of the situation the institution went through. We faced a very hard reality check. We owe it to our fans and to ourselves.”

The new signing for the Mexicans highlighted the midfielder’s skill level, saying that “James is a player with a privileged left foot, placing the ball wherever he wants,” but resigned to not having him in the squad: “Now we have to play without that kind of player and seek other options, distributing those assists he provided not to one player but to several.”