Real Madrid: Please don’t sell Isco this winter

At one point, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Real Madrid would sell Isco in the winter, but, now, he’s a crucial part of the squad heading into the second half of 2019-2020.

Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco has been linked to moves to Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, and even Manchester City in the Premier League, and he was constantly linked to a move to Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus in the Fall.

At the time, Isco was struggling for fitness, and the rumors of his exit grew after a poor October performance in a loss to Mallorca. But it was unfair to criticize Isco after that match. Yes, he played badly, but he was clearly not 100 percent healthy and was also forced to play as a pivot in a 4-4-2. Those were hardly ideal conditions for a creative midfielder.

Since then, Isco has shown his quality for Los Blancos. He shined as a left forward against PSG, running between the lines and constantly causing problems for PSG’s vaunted midfielder. And he was the best attacking player on the pitch in El Clasico, providing some of the only moments of true quality in the attack, including a backheel nutmeg pass to set up an early shot on target for star striker Karim Benzema.

Isco continues to be linked to moves at the winter transfer window, but Zinedine Zidane’s secret weapon should not switch teams before the year ends. No, Isco will be crucial to Real Madrid’s pursuit of gold, whether it’s the Champions League trophy or domestic glory.

As we saw in the Clasico, Isco brings so much to the table that others don’t. He’s versatile enough to line up as a wide man or in a classic No. 10 role, bringing attack versatility to Zidane’s various formations. And he has the magical feet and eye for a pass to add something extra to the attack. When he’s playing with Benzema and a healthy Eden Hazard, such as in the PSG game, Isco reminds us of the player we fell in love with a few years ago.

The Spain international still has plenty left to give to Los Merengues in 2019-2020. Despite the rumors, it’s unclear if Real could recoup 50 million euros for the 27-year-old, so selling him when they can win multiple trophies this season is far from ideal. Winter transfers have a way of biting contending teams in the behind, and Florentino Perez could rue his decision to sell Isco if he ends up being an X-Factor elsewhere while Real just barely fall short due to depth issues. Selling him in the summer could make sense, but in the winter? It would be the wrong move.

There’s nobody better that Real could conceivably buy to replace Isco this winter, which is a clear indication that they must keep him. With each passing performance, the attacking midfielder has shown that he needs to remain in Madrid. And with patience, the goals and assists will be forthcoming from the technically gifted midfield magician.