According to a report in Spain, Arsenal have entered talks to sign Isco from Real Madrid but I’d be very surprised if there was much truth to the rumours.

SEVILLE, SPAIN - AUGUST 28: Juanmi Jimenez of Real Betis and Isco of Real Madrid CF battle for the ball during the La Liga Santander match between Real Betis and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Benito Villamarin on August 28, 2021 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN – AUGUST 28: Juanmi Jimenez of Real Betis and Isco of Real Madrid CF battle for the ball during the La Liga Santander match between Real Betis and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Benito Villamarin on August 28, 2021 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

This is far from the first time that Arsenal have been linked with a move for Isco.

It made little sense last summer and winter and makes even less sense now.

Arsenal were looking for a creative midfielder, eventually signing Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid despite being linked with both Isco and Christian Eriksen last January.

“I’ve consistently been told that Arsenal do not want to sign [Christian Eriksen],” Ornstein said in January.

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“It’s not the age profile that they’re looking for.

“Isco is a player who there have been many reports about and I understand that Mikel Arteta is not inclined to pursue that one.”

MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 02: Isco (R) and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid warm up for the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Getafe CF at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on July 02, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – JULY 02: Isco (R) and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid warm up for the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Getafe CF at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on July 02, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

So, if Isco wasn’t a player who Arsenal were interested in last January, why would that be any different now?

Isco has played the grand total of 166 minutes in 2021/22. While back trouble ruled him out of three games, Isco has only started two league games for Carlo Ancelotti this season and has played the full 90 in none.

Now 29, he is coming to the end of his career, so certainly wouldn’t seem to fit with what Mikel Arteta and Edu are trying to do with this squad.

Perhaps he could be used as short-term cover until the end of the season but I still don’t see anything that might have changed in the last 12 months to make Mikel Arteta reconsider his position.

Real Madrid's Spanish midfielder Isco controls the ball during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RCD Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 22, 2018. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Real Madrid’s Spanish midfielder Isco controls the ball during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RCD Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 22, 2018. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

As a result, I think that the reports that Arsenal are in talks with Real Madrid about signing the player are not really something any Arsenal fan should be putting their faith in, at least not at this point.

Especially given the outlets who were initially reporting it.

I picked it up in Complete Sports Nigeria, an excellent site for information about players from that country, and across Africa.

Isco, however, is not African, as you know, and they picked it up from Fichajes in Spain who can be more than a little suspect.

Still, this seems like a rumour that will continue until Isco’s future is finally resolved.

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