How Birmingham City nearly signed future Real Madrid star for just £3m - It’s not Gareth Bale | OneFootball

Blues could have signed James Rodriguez for such a bargain price

Throughout the course of their well-documented 150-year history, Birmingham City have managed to sign, or at least come close to signing several big-name players.

Under the ownership of Knighthead Capital Management, who took control of the West Midlands outfit back in July 2023, Blues have once again become an attractive proposition to many homegrown, European or continental talents looking to play their part in a well-publicised rebuilding project fronted by the likes of Tom Wagner and NFL icon and minority stakeholder, Tom Brady, as the club looks to eventually return to the Premier League.

Between the early 2000s and early 2010s, Birmingham were once again regulars among the elite of English football with either Steve Bruce or Alex McLeish at the helm, and in a bid to make the club extremely progressive, were linked with an array of talents who have since gone on to have major impacts at some of the biggest clubs on the continent, and as such, winning some of the most coveted trophies and prizes that any footballer on the planet could get their hands on.

Two of the most well-documented near misses in this regard include many people's debated 'GOAT' (Greatest of All Time) in Cristiano Ronaldo during his time as a prodigy at Sporting CP, as well as missing out on the signature of Gareth Bale for just £3m in the 2010/11 campaign.

However, they aren't the only future Real Madrid stars that could have made a difference at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

In the winter of 2008, the aforementioned McLeish was hoping to keep Blues in the Premier League after recently taking over from Bruce, who departed for Wigan Athletic.

Throughout the Glaswegian's tenure in this part of the Second City, former scout Barry McIntosh was well-connected to the club, having been a major player in Mauro Zarate's short spell during the 2007/08 season prior to their relegation, in which the Argentinian scored four times in just 14 appearances.

The ex-West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers forward could have also been joined by Colombian playmaker, James Rodriguez, who had previously come through the youth ranks of Envigado, and was linked with a move to the then-top flight side for a bargain fee of just £3m as a 17-year-old prospect.

"I scouted him in 2007 at the World U17 championships and personally recommended him to Birmingham's then co-owner David Sullivan," McIntosh told the Mirror during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

"A £3million deal was proposed in January 2008 when Alex McLeish was manager."

"But it was aborted due to the huge problems getting the player a UK work permit," he added.

"I recommended Rodriguez but he went to the Argentine league instead to play for Banfield which is usually an indication of a highly promising player as Argentine clubs only bring in exceptional players from abroad."

Birmingham City and James Rodriguez endured contrasting fortunes after transfer miss

As well as suffering relegation back to the Championship ahead of McLeish's first full season in charge after missing out on the capture of Rodriguez, both the midfield maestro and Blues couldn't have endured more contrasting fortunes in the years which followed.

Birmingham may have won promotion back to the Premier League the following season as well as their underdog EFL Cup triumph over Arsenal in February 2011, but Carsen Yeung's financial mismanagement, as well as further turbulence under BHSL led to years of stagnation and relegation battles in the second tier.

Meanwhile, after making a name for himself at Porto, Rodriguez made a €45m switch to Monaco in 2013, before continuing to excel on the European and world stage.

During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, James won the 'Golden Ball' award for his exploits in Colombia's run to the quarter-finals, with a run of six goals in five games including a stunning finish from distance against Uruguay which won him the 2014 Puskas award.

The 34-year-old would then move to Real Madrid for £71m, winning two La Liga titles and as many UEFA Champions League finals, as well as lifting the Bundesliga twice during a two-year loan with Bayern Munich.

The now-veteran midfielder did eventually get a taste of the Premier League with six goals in 26 appearances for Everton at the turn of the decade. However, that was one of a long list of factors leaving Bluenoses with the feeling of 'what-if?'