Report: Tottenham have 3-year deal ready for £14m maestro, but UCL club could ruin things

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AC Milan will rival Tottenham Hotspur for the summer transfer of Isco as they consider the Real Madrid midfielder to be the best option to replace Hakan Calhanoglu, per Tuttosport.

Calhanoglu departed the Rossoneri at the end of his contract last month and sealed a free transfer to Inter Milan. The Turkey playmaker has penned a three-year contract with the Serie A champions, having just helped their city rivals to finish the season as runners-up.

His switch from one San Siro side to the other has left a big gap in the AC Milan squad. Head coach Stefano Pioli and the hierarchy will have to replace Calhanoglu’s team-high 10 assists plus four goals, and have a host of potential candidates in mind.

The Rossoneri admire Leipzig’s Marcel Sabitzer, Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, Ajax’s Dusan Tadic and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech. But AC Milan like Isco as they believe the Tottenham-linked star is the most accredited for the role of playmaker.

Tottenham have a three-year deal ready for Isco to sign this summer, as the Mirror reported last month. Chairman Daniel Levy is willing to pay £14m for the Spaniard, but Spurs already feared missing out after Carlo Ancelotti replaced Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Now, AC Milan could ruin Tottenham’s Isco dream, as they ready Pioli’s ship for a return to the Champions League. Finishing as runners-up to Inter Milan secured their return to UEFA’s premier club competition for the first time since 2014.

AC Milan could ruin Tottenham plans to sign Isco

Ancelotti dented Levy’s plans for Isco at Tottenham, and his hopes could be over after AC Milan joined the race.

The former Everton boss taking over at Real Madrid saw Isco reunite with the manager who signed him in 2013. Isco also produced some of his best Santiago Bernabeu seasons under Ancelotti, and will be buoyed by his return.

But AC Milan could yet tempt Isco to leave Madrid for Italy, over interest from Tottenham. Pioli can offer the four-time Champions League winner a key role in the Rossoneri ranks to replace Calhanoglu. And with just a year left on his Real contract, he may consider leaving.