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It all came crashing down for Isco once Julen Lopetegui was sacked by Real Madrid after a woeful start to their league campaign in 2018.
It was not that long that Isco was touted as 'the future' of Real Madrid by the Spanish coach. Cristiano Ronaldo had just decided to leave sunny Spain behind for a fresh challenge at Juventus.
At that time, Real Madrid were undergoing something of a transition as Zinedine Zidane had just left the club after guiding the Los Blancos to three successive Champions League trophies.
Zidane had always favoured the former Malaga midfielder and Lopetegui, his successor was also inclined to build a team which featured the Spanish playmaker heavily. However, with a string of average results to show for, Lopetegui parted ways with the Madrid club and Santiago Solari took over the reins at the Bernabeu.
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It is from here that things went distinctively downhill for a man who was touted to have a bright future with the record Spanish champions.
With a career that has been stop-start at best since and the Spanish media claiming that Isco may well be moved on sooner rather than later, it seems likely that he will be sold in the January transfer window coming up. As unfortunate as that might be, if Isco were likely to move in January or perhaps in the summer, where would he end up in all likelihood?
There's a lot of money doing rounds in the betting pool on that side of the market. It's a strange affair, these transfers of high-quality players especially ones from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
These affairs are as unpredictable as the matter of where the ball stops on a roulette spin. You'd never know where he would end up making his next stop, but the following are clubs he could do a good job at. These clubs might not have necessarily been linked to the playmaker, but going by the Spaniard's profile and the club's requirements, these clubs could be a great fit.
#1 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola always liked Isco as a player. It was long ago when the Spanish playmaker was turning heads at Malaga, and Pep Guardiola had taken a liking to him.
Over the last couple of seasons, speculation has been rife that Pep would indeed make a move for Isco to play in his star-studded Manchester City side.
It was only this past summer that Pep had to come out and deny rumours that Isco would sign for the Manchester side. However, since then, Pep is now aware that David Silva may well be playing his final season in England with his contract is up in the summer.
It seems possible now that Guardiola may look at the technical qualities Isco possesses as ideal in terms of replacing a player who is widely regarded as one of the best playmakers of his generation. If Pep were to take a punt on Isco at this point, it could turn into a massive win-win situation for both.
Isco could thrive in the possession-based style that Pep has Manchester City drilled to and could provide a sufficient option to rotate with Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva or maybe even play with them. If Pep was to unlock all of Isco's inherent abilities on the grandest stage of them all, who knows, he might be the one player who could probably help Manchester City inch closer to getting their hands on the Champions League.
Manchester City would also be one of those clubs who could easily meet Isco's transfer fee and wage demands. On paper at least, this is a match made in heaven.
Also check out:La Liga Table Premier League Table Champions League table
#2 Arsenal
It was quite the surprise when Spanish media outlets had claimed a while ago that Arsenal had tried to prise away the Spaniard from Madrid last summer.
During a time when Real Madrid were actively seeking to offload players to fund a reported move for Manchester United's Paul Pogba, Isco was said to be on a list of players Real felt were expendable.
Spanish publications have claimed that Arsenal failed with a £45 million offer solely because Isco did not want to leave Madrid, paving the way for the London club to sign fellow Los Blancos midfielder Dani Ceballos on a temporary deal.
While the Spaniard has had a decent start to life at the Emirates, he seems intent on not making his move permanent. Arsenal's fortunes on the pitch have not looked up all that much and it seems likely that they will try again in January to secure Isco's services.
With Isco reportedly more open to a move and Unai Emery a fan of his abilities as a player, perhaps a move to the London club will now seem more desirable for the Spaniard.
Tactically, he would likely take up the spot that is considered to have left behind a 'Mesut Ozil-sized' hole in the starting line up as Unai Emery somehow seems reluctant to play the German playmaker. Isco would provide Arsenal with an injection of quality which the likes of Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson at this stage are unable to provide.
And to have a forward line of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette to supply, Isco might just be the missing link that could make Arsenal one of the Premier League's most threatening attacking units.
#3 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur were quite keen on the Spaniard as a replacement for Christian Eriksen, who looked set to seal a move away from the club this summer. However, Eriksen did not see any offers turn up for him as Real hesitated ongoing for him with Paul Pogba still deemed the primary target.
While the summer window has passed and Tottenham have signed Giovanni Lo Celso to prepare for the Dane's departure, it is widely believed that Spurs would be interested in a direct swap between Eriksen and Isco should the Danish midfielder agree a move to Spain. Isco would be almost a direct swap for Eriksen at least tactically in Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham side, with many believing he would be a perfect fit for the role.
The likelihood of Eriksen leaving in January remains high and should Real not pull the trigger, there remains the chance that the Dane will move to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
If that were to happen, one could be rest assured that Tottenham would be in the mix to sign Isco in the coming window. To that effect publications from Spain believe Real would be willing to offer more than just Isco to land Christian Eriksen (which is odd considering he's going to be available for free in the summer).
However, transfer speculation aside, Isco could prove to be more than just an Eriksen replacement. Isco is the sort of playmaker Spurs do not have on their roster. Someone who navigates space by taking the ball in tight positions, drawing more defenders on to him and then skipping past them to create oodles of space for attackers to receive the ball in. He has a killer final pass on him too.
Mauricio Pochettino could have a different creative midfielder in his ranks and that in turn could propel this Spurs team one step higher in their quest for glory which ended in the UEFA Champions League final last season. Imagine if Isco took them up a notch. A scary thought for Arsenal fans, eh?
#4 Manchester United
Manchester United's woes in attack are well documented this season as the Red Devils have misfired upfront to say the very least. While the general consensus is that United are lacking a genuine out and out striker, midfield is also an area of concern for the Reds.
In light of the need to challenge at least for a Top 4 spot, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might be forced to dip into the January transfer window for a fix. It is believed that United are also on the lookout for a playmaker in the ilk of Juan Mata and it is reported by several Spanish media outlets, that one of the choices may well be Isco. Spanish media outlets have made a claim that a deal for Isco is already in place by a 'Premier League club' thought to be Manchester United.
Truth be told, Manchester United seem keen on Christian Eriksen to join the rebuild job that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has embarked on, but with Eriksen preferring a move to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, it seems likelier that Manchester United will be able to pursue a deal for Isco.
Tactically, apart from the infusion of quality, Isco would be the one thing Manchester United can be deemed to be suffering worst from. United lack a player who can help them beat oppositions using a low block defensively. A player as quick-footed, creative and envisioned as Isco is exactly the sort of player United have been crying out for.
