James Rodriguez won't leave Real Madrid in January, dad says

James Rodriguez is staying at Real Madrid, if his dad is to be believed. Wilson Rodriguez told the Colombian media that his son will not leave the Bernabeu in January despite James himself saying it was possible just a couple weeks ago.

"He has a commitment to Real Madrid and he has a contract," Wilson Rodriguez said. "He is going to stay."

James has played just eight times for Real Madrid this season, which isn't entirely surprising. There were some who questioned his decision to sign with the Merengues in the summer of 2014 because the team already had Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. There simply didn't seem to be much room for another attacking player, and that's been exactly the case. James has spent a lot of time on the Real Madrid bench.

Because of James' struggles for playing time, he's been linked with a move away from Real Madrid for 18 months. In the summer, the Merengues reportedly accepted a bid from Inter Milan for the Colombian, but James decided he wanted to stay and fight for his place.

James' attitude changed over the fall, though. After Real Madrid won the Club World Cup, he told the media that there was a chance he would leave the Merengues in January to get more playing time. But his dad now says a decision has been made.

With the transfer window just opened, things could still change, but for now it looks like James is staying at Real Madrid.