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Arsenal transfer news: Liverpool claim made about James Rodriguez loan move to Gunners
ARSENAL target James Rodriguez will not be leaving Bayern Munich this month - because the German giants need him for their clash with Liverpool in the Champions League.
Arsenal: Rodriguez transfer wouldn't be beneficial says pundit
That’s the verdict of German football expert Raphael Honigstein.
Reports have suggested Arsenal are keen to land Rodriguez, who is in the second year of a loan spell at Bayern Munich from Real Madrid.
After a strong first season in which he returned seven goals and 11 assists in 23 Bundesliga matches, he has found his second year in Bavaria less smooth under new boss Niko Kovac.
Rodriguez has made just five league starts this term - although he has endured a spell out injured.
The Colombian playmaker has been tipped to leave Bayern and move to the Premier League, with the Gunners keen to sign him.
The Independent have however reported that the 27-year-old would ideally like to return to the Bernabeu and prove himself for parent club Real Madrid, who he left after struggling to curry favour from former manager Zinedine Zidane.
But while Rodriguez - who cost an apparent £71million when he joined Real five years ago - has been relegated to the bench for Bayern, Honigstein claims he will come in handy next month.
And that’s because Thomas Muller is suspended for both legs of the German champions’ last 16 showdown with Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Bayern have no incentive to do this
Honigstein believes Muller’s absence will open up a starting spot for Rodriguez and therefore bar any January exit.
“For the time-being he’s not going anywhere,” Honigstein told ESPN FC.
“Unless something dramatic happens in the next 10 days and he really falls out with Niko Kovac and says, ‘Under no circumstance am I playing for you any more!’, he’s staying.
“Because remember, Thomas Muller is not eligible to play in what will be the two biggest games for Bayern bar the game against Dortmund.
“He’s almost guaranteed to be starting unless something happens.
“For Bayern to cut this loan deal to get €3m (£2.6m) in return, what’s the point? Bayern have no incentive to do this.”
Arsenal are currently restricted to only loan signings but may hope to make more long-term business in the summer.
And Honigstein admitted Rodriguez’s future beyond this season is far from certain.
“When it comes to his long-term future though, I think they’re not really that keen to make this permanent for €42m (£36.5m) because for all of his ability, his application and attitude hasn’t been quite what they wanted.
“They feel that maybe they need something younger and a bit fresher to change the dynamics of the team.
“He’s still seen as a slight problem figure who is difficult to control within the club. They indulge him to a certain extent but I don’t think he’s got a long-term future which is why we see these talks now.
“This is about what happens in the summer. I don’t think there’s any real chance of him moving in January.”