Chelsea had a £78 million offer for James Rodriguez accepted by Real Madrid but the Colombian has turned down the chance to join Antonio Conte’s side, according to reports.
Confidencial Colombia claim that the 25-year-old was promised an increase on his £10.4m-a-year salary by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
The report also claims that Rodriguez was given the opportunity by Madrid’s hierarchy to decide whether he wanted to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu this month.
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been one of the driving forces behind Rodriguez’s decision to stay at Madrid by advising the midfielder to fight for his place.
In December, Rodriguez fuelled speculation surrounding his move to the Premier League after he was spotted at the British embassy in Bogota.