Spanish forward Jese Rodriguez, who formerly played for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, has signed with Brazilian Serie A team Coritiba.
The turbulent career of Jese
Jese, who is now 30 years old, recently signed a pre-contract with Coritiba after becoming a free agent in June. However, his journey to this point has been far from smooth.
Once touted as Cristiano Ronaldo's successor at Real Madrid, Jese struggled to find success after failed stints with Las Palmas and Ankaragucu. After spending four years with PSG, he was limited to just 18 appearances due to lack of playing time.
Things took a turn for the worse in 2020 when he was sacked by PSG after it was revealed that he had cheated on his partner, Aurah Ruiz, with her model friend. His behavior off the field, including ignoring social distancing rules during the height of the pandemic, also raised concerns about his impact on the club's reputation.
Jese was loaned out multiple times during his time at PSG, playing for Las Palmas, Real Betis, Sporting Lisbon, and Stoke City. His Premier League stint with Stoke in the 2017-2018 season saw him make just 13 appearances.
A fresh start in Brazil
Now, Jese is hoping for a fresh start in Brazil with Coritiba. The club is based in Parana and plays in the Brazilian Serie A.
A career overshadowed
Despite the setbacks and controversies, Jese's career started out with promise. He joined Real Madrid's academy at the age of 14 and made his first team debut in a friendly against LA Galaxy four years later.
Only time will tell if Jese can resurrect his career in Brazil and put the scandals behind him.
