Real Madrid will sell Isco to Manchester City
If Pep Guardiola is to be believed, Isco will suit up for him at Manchester City next season. The news will come as a cruel blow to other interested clubs like Tottenham, Chelsea and Juventus.
News of the Spanish midfielder’s move to England doesn’t represent any real surprise. It shouldn’t even shock anyone that he’s headed to play for Pep at City. Really the only surprising information here is the reported transfer fee of just £30 million.
Yes, I realize that Isco’s contract with Real Madrid is winding down. Players with only one-year left on their current contracts can’t fetch massive transfer fees. Still, the La Liga giants should have been positioned to command a more significant fee.
In sharp contrast, look at the sort of money Arsenal will be looking for if they sell Alexis Sanchez this summer. You can be sure the Gunners will be looking for a fee somewhere in the range of £50 million for their Chilean star.
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At any rate, you have to give City credit for completing such a relatively frugal deal. Isco is the perfect sort of midfielder to thrive under Guardiola’s management. There’s little doubt he will have a significant impact on the City squad.
My only question about the transaction from City’s point of view is who Isco will knock out of the regular starting XI. It seems impossible to think that Leroy Sane or Kevin de Bruyne aren’t locks for two of Pep’s three spots in the attacking midfield. Could the arrival of Isco actually push Raheem Sterling out to the edge of Pep’s squad?
In fairness, part of Guardiola’s managerial brilliance is his ability to massage egos and keep the squad happy. The arrival of Isco could force him to display that talent on a regular basis. The Spaniard’s arrival will only add to the congestion of Guardiola’s midfield options.
Next: Chelsea are looking to replace Hazard with Alexis
The saga of Real Madrid and Isco will likely come to a merciful end this summer. The talented Spaniard will soon become a key cog in Manchester City’s machine.