Guillem Balague has commented on the future of Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Isco.
Guillem Balague Presenter of Sky Sports during the press conference
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has told Sky Sports that he doesn’t expect Real Madrid misfit Isco to leave the club in January amid strong links to Tottenham Hotspur.
Isco, 24, became one of the stars of Spanish football during a spell with hometown club Malaga, scoring 17 goals in 82 games for the club following a 2011 switch from Valencia.
Isco celebrates scoring for Real Madrid
Unsurprisingly, the playmaker’s exploits triggered major interest in his signature, and it was Real Madrid who won the race for him in 2013 as they lured him away from La Liga rivals Malaga in a deal worth around £23m (BBC Sport).
With 17 goals in his first two seasons with the Galacticos, many expected Isco to kick on and become one of the top attacking midfielders in the world – but his career has stagnated of late.
Isco hit just five goals last season and struggled for first-team football under Zinedine Zidane, whilst he’s started just once this season as speculation surrounds his future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid’s Isco
According to the London Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur remain keen on signing Isco having failed to land him during the summer transfer window, with Mauricio Pochettino a keen admirer of the midfielder.
It’s claimed that Isco could look to leave if he doesn’t get more first-team opportunities, and a potential loan-to-buy deal could be struck with Real Madrid during the January transfer window.
Television pundit and journalist Guillem Balague during the Soccerex Transfer Review by Prime Time Sport
Now, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has told Sky Sports that Isco could be handed a chance to fight for his future due to a host of injuries, whilst he won’t leave in January and will wait until the end of the season before making a decision over his future.
“With all the injuries it’s a chance for Isco to show he is a Real Madrid player and has the quality to stay,” said Balague. “There have been rumours he will leave in January, that’s not true at all, he will stay until the end of the season,” he added.
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