Tottenham Transfer News: Sandro Ramirez Explains Snub, Latest Isco Rumours

Malaga forward Sandro Ramirez has explained why his proposed move to Tottenham Hotspur last January fell through and he instead opted to stay in Spain, while Isco has reportedly made his new contract demands clear to Real Madrid.

As reported by Sport Witness' Tom Coast, Sandro came close to leaving Barcelona for Spurs in January, with the transfer seemingly set to go through at one point. He instead spent the rest of the season with the Blaugrana and moved to Malaga on a free transfer in the summer.

Speaking to AS (h/t Coast), the youngster explained what happened:

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The interest from England was in January. Barcelona didn’t let me leave and I was free to go where I wanted to in the summer. When my agent told me about Malaga’s interest, I didn’t think about it. I came here, saw the fanbase and how they love football. It really appealed to me.

"

At the time, Spurs were in the thick of the Premier League title race and in desperate need of some attacking depth, and the talented Sandro seemed the perfect fit.

The La Masia graduate didn't get a lot of playing time with the Catalans, as Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez made up one of the top attacking lines in all of football. When he did play, Sandro performed well, but manager Luis Enrique seemed more inclined to give star youngster Munir El Haddadi every chance to grow.

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Barcelona decided against selling Sandro and kept him as a depth option, but per Coast, the 21-year-old only made one more appearance after January, playing in a Copa Espana match against Valencia.

A transfer could have gone through during the summer, but Sandro chose Malaga, a smaller team where he would have more opportunities to play and continue his development. Per WhoScored.com, he has already bagged four goals in La Liga this season.

Here's a look at some of his highlights from last season:

Spurs addressed their need for attacking depth by purchasing talented Dutch striker Vincent Janssen, so manager Mauricio Pochettino likely didn't lose too much sleep over missing out on Sandro.

Elsewhere, Calciomercato report claims from the Spanish media, saying Isco has told Real Madrid he wants his wages tripled if he's to stay with Real Madrid beyond the 2017-18 season.

The fringe starter has been heavily linked with a number of clubs, including Tottenham. According to Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard, Spurs are keeping a close eye on the Spaniard and even made contact with Los Blancos during the summer transfer window.

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Isco has fallen behind several players in the Real pecking order, and following the rise of star youngster Marco Asensio, there are once again question marks surrounding his long-term future. The 24-year-old has played more regularly in recent weeks, though, only as an injury replacement for Luka Modric.

According to the report, he currently earns €2 million (roughly £1.8 million) per year, and he's looking for three times that amount.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Isco's case is a curious one: He's a supremely talented midfielder who has struggled with consistency recently, but a lack of regular playing time can partly explain that. He has mostly dismissed rumours he could be leaving the Spanish capital, although he's recently changed his tune, per Marca (h/t Daily Mirror's Alex Richards).

Real have depth and could opt to cash in, especially if he's asking for a major pay raise, but their impending transfer ban complicates matters, making it impossible for Los Blancos to find a replacement. The club also have to take his current contract into account―if they don't sell, they risk losing him on a free transfer in 2018.