Rumour Mongering: Manchester City and Liverpool Top List of Isco Suitors

Real Madrid midfielder Isco is out of favour with manager Zinedine Zidane and is likely to be sold to one of a long list of suitors this summer, and the La Liga club’s press mouthpiece AS believe Liverpool will be in the running for the 25-year-old Spanish international.

With Liverpool having failed to sign a replacement for Philippe Coutinho in January, getting in a player to fill his hole in the lineup is going to be a priority this summer, and Isco would fit the bill—plus Liverpool have the cash to win any race for him. Or at least that’s what AS believe.

However, they claim the Reds are just one of five clubs who are all keeping a close eye on Isco and will be keen to land him should Madrid decide to part ways with him in the summer, with Manchester City, Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Arsenal all also said to be interested.

Liverpool’s most serious competition, though, would be City—if they have room for him. Bayern and Juventus are unlikely to pay the kind of fee Madrid would like to get for him, while Arsenal are likely to miss out on the Champions League and so would not appeal to the player.

For Liverpool, the doubt is Isco’s suitability for Jürgen Klopp’s heavy press. There also wouldn’t be room for both Isco and Thomas Lemar in the squad, and recent reports have claimed Lemar still has his heart set on Liverpool and Klopp still considers him a top target.

All of which makes it seem a bit like Isco isn’t quite a perfect fit for any of AS’ supposed top suitors—too pricey for Bayern and Juventus, unlikely to accept Arsenal, a questionable fit for Klopp, and surplus to requirements for City just as he currently seems to be at Madrid.

Still, Isco’s talent can’t be denied, and assuming Klopp feels he can work with the attacking midfielder it would be hard to pass on the chance to sign him—especially if he might end up costing less than Lemar would go for in the summer.