Director of Football Marcel Brands can build Everton their dream midfield unit by securing Isco’s services from Real Madrid amid reports the Spaniard wishes to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti and James Rodriguez.
What’s the word?
According to the Mirror, Isco is keen to link up with Ancelotti and Rodriguez once more following their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Isco has been cast aside by Galacticos boss Zinedine Zidane and is no longer considered a part of the Frenchman’s plans, allowing for the Los Blancos hierarchy to make the 28-year-old available for a potential January transfer.
Real intend to utilise the mid-season loan market in hope of offloading the 38-cap Spain international, but will insist that any deal features an obligation to buy Isco at the end of the season for around £18million plus add-ons.
Isco’s representatives have been made aware of Real’s decision and are actively sounding out interest in England and Italy, though a move to the Premier League is thought to appeal more to the Benalmadena-born maestro.
Everton are deemed to be the early leaders in the race to sign Isco, where the Los Blancos outcast’s close friend Rodriguez would love to see him join, while former potential suitors Arsenal and Juventus are not believed to be pushing for a deal at present.
Isco featured 106 times under Ancelotti during the Italian’s tenure in charge of Real Madrid, in which the midfield playmaker provided 17 goals and 22 assists as they secured the 2013/14 Champions League and 2014/15 UEFA Super Cup.
Ancelotti was full of admiration for Isco when Los Blancos President Florentino Perez agreed a deal worth around €27m (£23m) with Malaga in 2013, noting via The Guardian: “It’s clear he has a lot of quality. Spain’s Under-21s side has a lot of great players and he is one of the best. He could get into any team in the world, so he could also play for Madrid.”
A dream unit
Ancelotti may now get the chance to see Isco play for Everton, in what could be a dream unit in royal blue featuring his former creative partner and friend Rodriguez should Brands reach an agreement with Real Madrid.
Isco would bring another level of experience to Merseyside after a summer masterclass in acquiring Rodriguez for free, as the Spaniard went on to clinch three further Champions League honours after Ancelotti’s departure, along with two La Liga crowns, two Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.
His outcast status under Zidane has ensured the 28-year-old has only started two of his five La Liga appearances for the campaign totalling a mere 177 minutes of game time, but has contributed goals and assists in every Spanish top-flight season since moving to Madrid.
Isco also created a big chance to score and missed a big chance in his limited game time this term, per SofaScore, while creating four glaring opportunities and missing two on route to two assists and one goal last term thanks to an average of 1.0 key balls and 0.8 shots a game.
Of his 31 accurate passes per game, 21.4 also came in the opponent’s half with an 82% success rate, while completing 73% of his dribbles, winning 58% of his ground duels, making 0.6 tackles, and playing 1.3 chipped passes with a 60% accuracy rating.
Rodriguez hardly enjoyed a stellar final year at the Santiago Bernabeu, either, with just one goal and one assist in an injury-ravished campaign but has scored three goals and assisted a further three in six Premier League appearances for Everton since his arrival.
Ancelotti would also benefit vastly from Isco’s versatility, given the Spanish ace can play in wide roles on either side of the field along with through the centre, offering the Italian multiple options in one.
For a player once valued as high as £81m by Transfermarkt in 2018, a loan with an £18m obligation could prove to be one of Everton’s best pieces of business possible come January.
AND in other news, an “intelligent” maestro may have played his final game for Everton already after his recent comments.