Isco Reportedly Considering Barcelona Transfer Amid Real Madrid Exit Rumours

Real Madrid playmaker Isco has reportedly been offered €20 million (£17.37 million) by Barcelona to run down his contract in the capital and move to the Blaugrana on a free transfer.

According to RAC1 (h/t AS), the Spain international is giving serious thought to a possible departure from the Santiago Bernabeu, with his terms set to expire at the end of next season.

It's suggested Barca are ready to pay Isco the "sweetener" in instalments should he see out the 2017-18 term before move to the Catalan giants when he becomes a free agent.

Isco has struggled to secure a regular spot in the capital since he arrived at the club in 2013 and has been consistently linked with a possible exit.

Under current manager Zinedine Zidane, it's been a similar story for the playmaker. While the technical ability and flair he operates with makes Isco one of the most popular players with Madridistas, he's often left on the bench for big games, with the manager utilising Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema up front in a 4-3-3 system.

When he has got on the field this season, he has done well, notching six goals and five assists.

Bleacher Report's Karl Matchett recently paid tribute to Isco's displays:

However, it's getting close to a point where Isco needs to make a decision about where his long-term future lies.

Zidane would love to keep him around. While he's not a guaranteed first-team player, Isco can be used in so many different situations, whether as an orthodox No. 10, from a wide position and even in a more withdrawn role in midfield. Players who mesh quality and versatility so easily are rare.

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Additionally, Isco has proved to be a fantastic impact substitute. Coming off the bench in both the 2013-14 and 2015-16 UEFA Champions League finals, he made a huge difference to Madrid's play; most recently, his introduction against Villarreal inspired a late fightback from Los Blancos, who recovered from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

As noted by Jason Pettigrove of Marca, during that cameo, Isco has shown exactly why he should be on the pitch more frequently:

Perhaps that's something Barcelona would be able to offer the 24-year-old. While they don't operate with a natural No. 10, which is Isco's best position, it's easier to envisage him slotting into a midfield three at the Camp Nou given the way in which the Blaugrana build their attacks.

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While it would be a controversial move given the rivalry between the two clubs, the appeal for Isco would be obvious. He'd be playing for a team challenging for titles, he'd be getting more minutes and he'd be operating in a setup more aligned with his talents as a footballer.

Sports journalist Rafael Hernandez believes there may be better options out there for Barcelona, though:

Indeed, it's tough to see any scenario in which Madrid would negotiate the sale of one of their players to Barcelona. According to a report from Mundo Deportivo (h/t Manu Sainz of AS), all of Real's stars have an "anti-Barcelona" clause written into their contracts to prevent any transfer business between the two clubs.

It means the only possible route for Isco to the Camp Nou would be him letting his contract run down before moving on a free transfer at the end of the campaign. Subsequently, at this point, it seems unlikely that we'll see Isco cross one of the fiercest rivalries in world football.