Reports: Real Madrid To Banish Isco To The Stands Amid Barcelona Transfer Link
REUTERS/Susana Vera
Real Madrid have threatened Isco with ‘a year in the stands’ amid reports linking him with a free transfer to arch-rivals Barcelona.
The Catalan giants seem to be heavily interested in signing Isco, who at the moment, continues to find himself out of Zinedine Zidane’s favour. Despite having performed impressively in the limited opportunities he has received, the playmaker has still failed to seal his spot in the Real Madrid starting lineup.
The 24-year-old is believed to be incredibly frustrated with life in the Spanish capital, but Barcelona are ready to offer him a way out as well as guarantee him regular football. The Camp Nou-based outfit has identified Isco as the perfect replacement for the ageing Andres Iniesta, and some of the Barca players have even contacted the Los Blancos man to convince him to make the switch.
But since it is clear that Real Madrid won’t sell a player as talented as Isco to their biggest rivals – especially not for cheap – Barcelona intend to sign the former Malaga man for free once his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires in the summer of 2018.
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The Spaniard will therefore have to spend one more season in Madrid before making this taboo switch, but the top officials at Real Madrid will make life tougher for Isco during that period, suggest the latest reports from Deportes Cuatro (via The Sun).
The club’s higher officials are rumoured to be set to banish Isco from the field and make him spend an entire season in the stands if he refuses to sign a contract extension, and continues to negotiate a free transfer to Barcelona.
Real have reportedly offered the man a new six-year deal that consists of more than £5m in wages, but the Spanish international has turned the deal down, as he thinks he deserves to get paid around the region of £8.5m.
It remains to be seen if Real Madrid end up tabling an improved offer for Isco, or whether the player gets convinced and signs the deal offered by the La Liga giants to avoid spending an entire year on the sidelines.
