Goodbye Isco: Eight clubs who could sign the Madrid playmaker

Goodbye Isco: Eight clubs who could sign the Madrid playmaker

Isco no jugó ni un minuto en el Clásico
Isco no jugó ni un minuto en el Clásico / | sport

Florentino Perez and Zinedine Zidane are willing to let him go

Isco's future at Real Madrid changed from white to gray, and now to black. The midfielder has never been loved by coach Zinedine Zidane and he's not seen as essential in the club offices either. With the 2018 World Cup approaching, Isco has been benched again, soon after signing a new contract until 2022 with a 700m euro release clause. 

Last season Isco had an excellent campaign. His contract was ending in June 2018 and Madrid signed him up to stop him walking away for free - with Isco even flirting with Barca. The player didn't want to risk a year on the sidelines ahead of the World Cup so he signed a new deal.

RENEWAL

Zidane started Isco for months with Gareth Bale out injured, and Madrid's game benefitted. He signed a new deal after Florentino and his executives decided they could not let such a talent leave for nothing.

However Madrid's bad form this season has seen Isco punished, with Zidane benching him with the BBC back together - Bale, Benzema, Cristiano.

ESCAPE ROUTE

Isco's renewal means it's harder to sign him. Which clubs could manage it? He's an excellent player, but not a lot of sides have the money needed. Barca did, but spent it on Philippe Coutinho.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Man City are one of the sides who could do it. They were interested in him when Manuel Pellegrini was in charge and Pep Guardiola likes him too. Man United could also afford him but Isco might not fit into Jose Mourinho's tactical schemes. That's not to say the Portuguese could find a better player instead - and he does like interfering with other clubs' deals.

Liverpool could use Isco to replace Coutinho, while Chelsea are in crisis and Antonio Conte seems poised to leave. The Blues might remodel their squad, especially if Real Madrid strike for Hazard - there could be a deal. Luis Enrique's arrival as Chelsea coach would reinforce his chances.

Arsene Wenger stopped Mesut Ozil from leaving but Alexis Sanchez left. They have Ramsey, Elneny and Mkhitaryan in the midle, players with whom Isco could see off without a problem. However to go to Arsenal would be to drop a level.

OTHER LEAGUES

The primary candidate outside of England is PSG. They always are fighting for the Champions League and their Qatari money already helped them steal Neymar. Unai Emery would be happy with the arrival of a player of this quality.

Juventus have pedigree and are an attractive project, but they might not have the economic power to match Perez's demands. 

And there's Bayern Munich. However they have James Rodriguez on loan and Thiago Alcantara, who play in Isco's place. They are a rich club but it's yet to be seen if they would invest in a signing like this.

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