Josep Maria Bartomeu Says Barcelona Would Be Open to Isco Transfer Talks

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said he would be happy to speak to Real Madrid regarding a possible transfer involving Isco if Los Blancos were open to selling him. 

The Spain international midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu since the arrival of Santiago Solari as manager, and speculation has started to intensify regarding his future as a result.

When asked about the prospect of potentially landing the playmaker from their great rivals by El Partidazo de COPE (h/t beIN Sports), Bartomeu said Isco is a footballer they would be happy to discuss.

"If our coaches asked us for a player and they want to leave Madrid, of course we would sign them," he said. "But it has not happened since I'm here. There are no non-aggression pacts. Each one tries to make their team more competitive. Isco? For the sake of Real Madrid I would speak with the president of Real Madrid [Florentino Perez]."

PAU BARRENA/Getty Images

Transfers between the two clubs are a rarity given the rivalry between the two sides. The last player to make the move between the two was Luis Figo, who joined Real Madrid from Barcelona in 2000. 

The midfielder was a hate figure for Blaugrana supporters whenever he returned to the Camp Nou following the deal, including an infamous incident when a pig's head was thrown at him on the field.

With that in mind it would be a shock if Real Madrid completed any kind of deal with their fierce and historic rivals, that despite the fact Isco's stock has arguably never been lower at the Santiago Bernabeu.

As relayed by the MailOnline, the player himself appears to be seeing the funny side of not being involved at the moment:

However, there may be a serious decision for Isco to make in the summer, as he is currently completely out of Solari's plans.

Since the departure of Julen Lopetegui as boss and the appointment of his successor, Isco has not started a game in La Liga for Los Blancos. Solari has instead put faith in more pragmatic midfield options and youngster Vinicius Jr. who appears to be growing into life at Madrid.

It will be frustrating for Isco, as under former manager Zinedine Zidane he had appeared to have finally cemented his place in the Madrid setup, having shone in some crucial games:

Now his future appears to be in major doubt, with Solari seemingly hesitant to use Isco in games and spells of matches he feels to be significant. At Barcelona, where the club's mantra is centred around technical ability and football intelligence, he would potentially be a fine fit.

Madrid would block any sale of a player so talented to their bitter rivals, but if Isco was available for transfer in the summer, there would surely be a number of high-profile outfits looking to get him on board.