James Rodríguez has joined Greek giants Olympiacos. On Thursday, the club announced the signing of the 31-year-old midfielder, who is fulfilling his wish to return to Europe after his spell with Al Rayyan. The Colombian playmaker joins as a free agent after finishing his contract in Qatar.
“Al Rayyan terminates by mutual consent the contract of Colombian professional James Rodriguez after reaching an agreement between both parties,” the Qatari club reported on its social channels.
Shortly afterwards, Olympiacos announced the signing: “HE’S HERE! Welcome James Rodriguez to Olympiacos!
HE IS HERE! Welcome James Rodríguez to Olympiacos and Piraeus! 🔴⚪️ @jamesdrodriguez #Olympiacos #JamesRodriguez #WelcomeJames #JR10 #Football #Piraeus #Greece #WeKeepOnDreaming pic.twitter.com/OITAfiONyk
The deal was finalised hours before the close of the transfer window in Greece. He will wear the number 10 shirt, and will become the fourth Colombian player to play for Olympiacos. Felipe Pardo, Jorge Bermudez and Juan Pablo Pino have all donned the famous shirt. International stars such as Rivaldo, Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner with Brazil, Karembeu and Yaya Toure, among others, have also played for the club.
The club recently confirmed Marcelo as their star signing for the season. The Brazilian full-back was presented in front of more than 25,000 people at the Karaiskakis Stadium and will now be reunited with James, his team-mate for several seasons at Real Madrid.
Olympiacos are currently third in the Greek league table. After four games, they have eight points and are behind Panathinaikos (12) and PAOK (10). Carlos Corberan’s side are also competing in the Europa League, in a group with Nantes, Freiburg and Qarabağ. James cannot be registered for the group stage due to UEFA regulations.
The midfielder arrived in Qatari football in September 2021 from Premier League outfit Everton. He made his debut on 17 October against Al-Duhail SC (3-0 defeat) and scored his first goal on 26 October in a 4-2 win over Al-Sailiya.
However, due to injuries, he only played 16 matches between the league and Emir Cup, the most recent one eight days ago against Al Markhiya (21 minutes). In total, he scored five goals and provided seven assists.
James has returned to European football to play for the most successful club in Greece. In its almost 100 years of history, Olympiacos has won more than 70 domestic titles, including 47 Leagues and 28 Cups.
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