Arsenal have been linked with a move for Isco as Real Madrid attempt to find a buyer for the Spanish midfielder.
Isco has fallen out of favour in Madrid and manager Zinedine Zidane has reportedly sanctioned his sale as the club attempt to deal with the financial losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Spanish newspaper El Confidencial report that Los Blancos are keen to get the 28-year-old off their books before his contract expires at the end of June 2022 and are “probing” the market, with Arsenal and Everton touted as potential destinations.
Isco has made just six appearances for Zidane’s side this season, with two of his three starts coming in a 1-0 defeat by Cadiz and the recent 4-1 loss against Valencia.
The Spain international joined the club in a €30million move from Malaga in 2013, but has not quite lived up to the high expectations of Real.
Although he has scored 51 goals in 305 appearances for Real over the last seven years, he has struggled to hold down a starting position in midfield in recent seasons.
One possible destination for the midfielder is Everton, who are managed by former Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who signed James Rodriguez from his old club in the summer.
However, Ancelotti played down the speculation earlier this month, saying: “Isco is a fantastic player and [I have] a fantastic memory of him but now I am not, honestly, focused there.”
Arsenal made a splash in the summer transfer market, bringing in midfielder Thomas Partey, defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Pablo Mari and goalkeeper Alex Runarsson.
Whether the Gunners hierarchy would sanction further expenditure for a move for Isco in the January transfer window is questionable.
But if results continued to deteriorate and Mikel Arteta lost more players to injury, Isco could offer a potential solution in the mid-season transfer window.
