Real Madrid: Why there is a lack of interest in Isco right now

Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco wants out, but it might be difficult to move him.

Last season, Isco earned a niche role in the Real Madrid squad and became an important part of the rotation by the end of the season. Few can forget the impact he had against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu, though the fans who have forgotten can be forgiven since Isco has honestly done so little since March.

As it stands, the Andalusian has started three games with four bench appearances for Real Madrid, failing to provide a goal contribution in his 286 minutes. Isco had a strong game off the bench against Real Betis, playing a key role in the 3-2 win at the Benito Villamarin. But other than that, the former Malaga man has been rather silent for Los Blancos.

Isco wants out. He’s made it clear that he wants a transfer in January, which Real Madrid were not anticipating despite the player’s lack of minutes.

According to a report from Joaquin Maroto of AS, Real Madrid have yet to receive a transfer offer from Isco. And it appears the issue is pricing.

Real, per AS, want 65-70 million euros for the attacking midfielder, which is a price nobody in their right mind should pay. Isco is barely worth even half that in this economy, especially when you factor in his salary. Really, Los Blancos are hoping a Premier League team jumps and is desperate enough to make a signing. I honestly don’t see how Real could get more for Isco than they did for James Rodriguez, who found an ideal landing spot in Everton.

Though James’ explosion in 2020-2021 under Carlo Ancelotti actually works in Isco’s favor. See, James showed that the issue was the system and not his quality. Isco is a much different player from James despite them playing similar positions, but he shares one thing in common. At another club with less competition and pressure and the ability to tailor a gameplan to his strengths, Isco could flourish. And therefore, he would be worth a large sum of money, even if it’s not an outlandish 65-70 million euro price point.

Another thing that makes Isco more difficult to move is that, per AS, the club must sell Isco in order to generate funds. A loan is off the table. So that takes out the possibility of even a loan with an option to buy, which teams would probably prefer as a low-risk alternative to straight-up buying Isco.

For now, Real Madrid have no offers. That should change as we get closer to January, but I have a feeling Isco will only be sold if Los Blancos temper their expectations of what they could get in exchange for the 28-year-old.