Arsenal Cannot Let Manchester City In On Isco

Arsenal has been tied to Isco for going on a year now, but he has never been more available than he is now. Arsenal must block Manchester City’s pursuit of him by securing his signature themselves.

Since Arsenal had first been linked to Isco in January, 2015, the move has made complete since. An out-of-favor, never-given-a-chance technical midfielder from a big name club is desperate for a top-tier team that can offer him an advance on his career via playing time and learning. No matter how you spin it, that sounds like Arsenal. Wenger has a knack for poaching young players who are not being given a chance. He did it with Danny Welbeck, he even did something similar with the dynamic Chilean, Alexis Sanchez.

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Real Madrid and Barcelona are fantastic fountains of talent that are often stocked over capacity. Because of this, guys like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez frequently become available. Isco is approaching being on the same level. In fifteen starts between La Liga and the Champions League, Isco has one goal and six assists. He has a history for putting up concrete stats.

And yet he has only been able to notch nine starts in La Liga this year because Real Madrid went out and bought a mass of over-priced midfielders to cover a position that Isco had proven he deserved. Despite being a fan favorite, Isco is unsatisfied with the lack of playtime he is being given and is seeking his fortunes elsewhere.

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Arsene Wenger always says that if a fantastic talent becomes available, that he will get them. Isco is a fantastic talent. He can play any midfield position, as he is the same size as Francis Coquelin, just much more technically gifted. Arsenal can definitely use a rotational option at any of their midfield positions.

The problem is that Manchester City is now hot on the chase. Realizing that they are falling behind Arsenal and of considerably less quality, City is seeking to buy their way to another title. David Silva has started to fade in relevance and if Manuel Pellegrini can land Isco, he will have two young, prolific midfielders in Kevin De Bruyne and Isco for years to come.

Arsenal cannot allow this to happen. Pellegrini has the Malaga connection with Isco but Arsenal have that connection too in Santi Cazorla.

Isco may cost nearly £30m but Arsenal paid more for both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, so saying he is out of Wenger’s price range is incorrect.

Arsenal is going to need more midfielders come the summer when Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and even potentially Mathieu Flamini move on. Santi Cazorla is aging as well and he has expressed an interest to one day return to Spain. That is four vacancies coming up in the near future and unless Wenger plans to fill those gaps with a bunch of 18-20 year old young products, the club is going to need replacements.

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However, as we have learned, it is not always as easy as buying someone and plugging them into the gap. There is some acclimation needed, especially when joining the Premier League. Give Isco the second half of a title-winning season to fall in love with Arsenal and reap the benefits for the next decade.