Real Madrid midfielder Isco has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Turkish giants Galatasaray heading into the summer window.
According to AS, Galatasaray are interested in a summer move for Real Madrid playmaker Isco, who will become a free agent at the end of next month when his contract expires.
Isco has been with Real Madrid for almost a decade now, having arrived from Malaga in 2013. Signed as one of the most gifted young players in Spain, the attacking midfielder enjoyed a lot of success early in his career at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, the Spanish international has fallen out of favour in recent years and has struggled to stay relevant in the scheme of things at the Spanish capital club.
The arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as manager last summer offered Isco some hope, but he has failed to get meaningful game-time under the Italian either.
Indeed, the Spanish international has played just 17 times across all competitions in the 2021/22 season, accumulating a total of just 407 minutes under his belt. And, with his contract expiring next month, Real Madrid have decided not to extend it, meaning that the Spaniard will be on the move come summer.
There has been plenty of interest in Isco’s services, with clubs from within Spain and outside willing to sign him up on a Bosman deal. And the latest club to enter the race are Galatasaray.
The Turkish giants are set for their presidential elections on June 11, and one of the candidates, Dursun Ozbek, is hoping to boost his chances of winning by luring Isco to Istanbul in the summer transfer window. To that end, Ozbek’s camp has already gotten in touch with the Real Madrid star’s representatives to explore the possibility of a switch to Turkey.
Isco, who earns around €6.5 million per year at Real Madrid, has reportedly demanded a three-year contract worth around €4 million-a-year to complete a transfer to Galatasaray once he becomes a free agent. Whether Ozbek and Galatasaray are willing to match those demands from the Real Madrid playmaker remains to be seen.
A possible move to Sevilla could also be on the cards for Isco, where his former Spain and Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui is believed to be seeking a reunion. So, Galatasaray must act swiftly if they wish to land the 30-year-old on a Bosman deal.
