Once a sure starter, Isco has fallen out of favour at the Bernabeu
Isco is favouring a move to Sevilla in the summer of 2021, according to Spanish sports newspaper AS.
Once such key part of Real Madrid’s attack that he benched Gareth Bale in two consecutive Champions League finals, the playmaker has fallen out of favour during Zinedine Zidane’s second spell as Madrid manager.
Isco, now 28, wants to leave in January but Madrid will insist that he stays until the summer, wary that a spate of injuries could see their midfield options depleted in such a congested season.
With only three starts under his belt this season, Isco is reportedly keen to reunite with Julen Lopetegui, who coached him both at Real Madrid and with the Spanish national team at both youth and senior level.
Some of Isco’s best form has come under Lopetegui’s management, notably a hat-trick he scored for Spain in a 3-0 win over Italy at Real Madrid’s home stadium in the autumn of 2017.
Isco joined Real Madrid seven years ago after impressing at Malaga, but is still only 28 and feels he has enough left in the tank to enjoy several more years at the top of LaLiga. Sevilla are expected to be quoted a figure between €15 and €20m for the player once earmarked as Spain’s natural successor to Andres Iniesta.
The fact that Madrid are likely to hold onto Isco until the summer could damage his chances of making Luis Enrique’s squad for the rearranged Euro 2020 tournament. With the likes of Koke, Saul Niguez, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Parejo to compete with, he will need to show some of the magic he used to display every week if he is to have any chance of representing La Roja next summer.
