Arsenal: Isco Could Be Cazorla's Heir Apparent

Arsenal can’t be spending on any luxury items right now, but what a luxury Isco would be. More Spanish magic for after Santi’s decline.

I have made my stance on luxuries clear. No way, no how. Arsenal cannot be dropping money on Riyad Mahrez or Julian Draxler while they still don’t have a striker to compete with Olivier Giroud or a central defender to cover the loss of Per Mertesacker. It’s senseless.

All that being said… there is Isco. The second most exciting Arsenal transfer rumor I ever heard (next to Granit Xhaka) was when Arsenal were suddenly heavily linked with Isco in January of 2015. It was thrilling and, as corny as it sounds, magical.

While Isco would be looking for a central role – a No. 10 role – which Arsenal cannot offer, the very concept of having Isco, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla all gallivanting around the pitch like three thoroughbred stallions is enough to make lesser men shed a tear. The creativity and technical ability between those three would be enough to power a small town, if that creativity and technical ability could be converted to electricity (big if).

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Isco would be one of the few guys out there that could challenge Ozil. I don’t think he could necessarily overtake him, at least not right away, but with the right tutelage in a system that I believe would only improve Isco’s already brilliant abilities, there’s no telling how high the ceiling is.

Even if he never overtakes Ozil, there is always his former Malaga team mate Santi Cazorla. The two Spaniards put together a brilliant partnership in their one year together at the Spanish outfit and bringing them together would serve two distinct purposes. First of all, they already have that inherent partnership that could be revived. Second of all, Santi Cazorla is getting old and Isco could be the heir apparent to give Arsenal another six or seven years of Spanish magic.

The problem is that, as it stands, Arsenal has just about as good of an opportunity for a creative midfielder as Real Madrid does, and Real Madrid is Isco’s club, where he plays for his idol, Zinedine Zidane.

It used to look like Isco had won over Zidane instead of James, who was rumored to be leaving, but the tune has since been switched.

“There are many players in [midfield] and it is difficult to fit them all in. Moreover, they are all very good. We will make decisions,” Zidane said, as quoted by Goal.com. He went on: “I do not want James to leave. He is a Madrid player.”

Take it how you will, but to me that sounds like pretty damning evidence against Isco’s continued stay with Los Blancos. Isco has clamored for more playing time before, but has only seen regression.

At 24, it is time to be seeing an increase in playing time, not a decrease. The young Spaniard registered 5500 minutes in two seasons with Malaga, but since coming to Real Madrid, he has only registered 2000, 2300 and, in the most recent season, a mere 1800 minutes.

Next: Arsenal's Top 10 Prospects

It’s time to get out of town. Although maybe he can give it one more year and Arsenal can buy him next summer.

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Arsenal: Isco Could Be Cazorla’s Heir Apparent

By Josh Sippie | Aug 4, 2016

Arsenal can’t be spending on any luxury items right now, but what a luxury Isco would be. More Spanish magic for after Santi’s decline.

More from Pain in the Arsenal