Harry Diamond
Chelsea have apparently been ‘offered’ the chance to sign Real Madrid playmaker Isco in a £44m deal as the La Liga giants prepare to make room for Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen.
The Spain midfielder has struggled to demand an automatic starting place under Zinedine Zidane at the Bernabeu so far this season and could now be moved on, with the Premier League a potential destination for a player who has previously been linked with Manchester City.
According to the Mirror, Real have now offered Chelsea the chance to sign Isco in the coming January transfer window, the Blues set to be active in the winter window having had their transfer-ban lifted upon appeal.
Frank Lampard is believed to have a transfer budget of around £150m, and has already admitted his desire to add additional creativity and goals to his side following the summer departure of Eden Hazard.
Chelsea have also been linked with moves for the likes of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho and Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, though each would command a significant portion of the club’s transfer budget and it remains to be seen whether the club would break their transfer record to secure either player.
Isco is proven at the highest level having won the Champions League on three occasions during his time in the Spanish capital, and could now be a viable option for a switch to Stamford Bridge having been made available for transfer by Zidane.
The Frenchman is believed to want to overhaul his ageing midfield options as the club attempt to challenge at home and abroad, with Spurs playmaker Eriksen amongst their chief targets – even though he is the same age as the unwanted Isco, 27.
Eriksen has entered the final months of his contract and has so far refused a new deal to extend his stay in north London, with Madrid now ready to secure his signing in a cut-price deal next month or on a pre-contract agreement for the summer.
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