Chelsea Transfer News: Isco Bid Turned Down by Real Madrid, Latest Rumours

Chelsea have reportedly been rebuffed by Real Madrid after making an ambitious £20 million bid for the club’s Spanish midfielder, Isco.

That’s according to Darren Lewis and John Cross of the Daily Mirror, who also noted that Juventus are interested in the former Malaga star. It’s reported that Los Blancos have no intention of selling the 23-year-old, though, who grew into a key member of the squad last season.

Here’s a look at why £20 million is nowhere near enough for a player as talented as Isco:

The aforementioned piece also makes reference to Oscar’s situation with Chelsea. Apparently, Blues boss Jose Mourinho “could be willing to sacrifice” the Brazilian, who has also attracted interest from the Serie A giants. However, Lewis and Cross claim the Bianconeri are only willing to offer £12 million for Oscar.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

As noted by football journalist Jack Rathborn, the figures being quoted for players of this quality seem to be almost humorously meagre:

The article notes that new Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez sees Isco as a key part of his squad and that’s totally understandable. He fulfilled a variety of roles at the Santiago Bernabeu last season, making a major impression on Madridistas after a debut season on the fringes of the first team.

It’s probably Isco’s versatility, diligence off the ball and obvious playmaking skills that have prompted Mourinho to move for him. But how does he compare with Oscar? Here’s a statistical comparison between the two in league matches last season:

	Isco	Oscar
Apps (Sub)	26 (8)	26 (2)
Goals	4	6
Assists	9	8
Passes per game	51.4	46.1
Key passes per game	1.6	1.3
Dribbles per game	2.6	0.6
Tackles per game	1.7	1.9

The Brazilian may be the man who Mourinho withdraws when he’s looking for some added defensive solidity in big games, but Oscar is a key member of this Chelsea side. Against compact opposition his ingenuity can be key to breaking teams down, making him a unique option in this Blues squad, in many respects.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Isco could quickly find himself in a similar position at Real, despite his obvious creative ability, per WhoScored.com:

"

Isco: Only Messi (44) has played more accurate through balls in La Liga since Aug 2013 than @isco_alarcon (24) pic.twitter.com/fc49190UmZ

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 3, 2015"

Benitez is a renowned pragmatist and it’s going to be intriguing to see just how he juggles all of the Los Blancos attacking talent. But he certainly will not be fielding teams as offensively loaded as some of the ones which thrilled under Carlo Ancelotti and that could see Isco back down the pecking order.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Might that prompt him to push for a move? Perhaps, but Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe doesn't think Chelsea will be landing any superstar signings in this window:

It’s also tough to see Real relinquishing a player like Isco. As aforementioned, he’s an adaptable talent who is capable of taking on so many different duties; with Benitez likely to tinker with systems, shapes and styles early in his tenure, those kinds of qualities will be invaluable to the cause.

For Chelsea, the Spaniard would be a dream acquisition, but in Oscar they have a player that does a fine job whenever he takes to the field. Given how well acquainted the Brazilian is with English football, Mourinho’s principles and his team-mates, selling him on this summer would be a peculiar move from the Blues.