‘Happy’ Rodriguez’s Bayern future still open despite hot form

Midfielder Rodriguez scored a stunning hat-trick in Bayern’s 6-0 thrashing of Mainz on Sunday, prompting a wave of speculation about whether the German champions will exercise their option to buy the 27-year-old for 42 million euros ($47.6m) from Real Madrid when the loan expires this summer.

“Nobody can predict the future,” Rodriguez told Sport1. “We will have to wait and see, but I feel comfortable here, and I am happy.”

The Colombian moved to Bayern two years ago after becoming frustrated with his lack of game time in Zinedine Zidane’s first spell as Madrid coach, but he insisted that he had “no problem with Zidane”, who recently returned to the Real bench.

Rodriguez also said that he had a “very good relationship” with Bayern coach Niko Kovac.

“On a personal level, he is a really nice person. I really think we can win titles with him as a coach,” he said.

Their relationship was not always so good. Earlier in the season, German media reported that Rodriguez had openly criticised the Bayern coach.

But with four goals and two assists from his last four games, the Colombian is now flourishing under Kovac’s leadership.

On Sunday, Bayern president Uli Hoeness suggested that Kovac would have the final say over whether Bayern signed Rodriguez permanently.

“We will have to consider everything and decide,” Hoeness told Sport1. “He is a great player, and the coach has got to tell us what he wants to do.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.