Why neither Spurs nor Arsenal need shackled Real Madrid creator
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Isco was one of Real Madrid’s best five creators in La Liga last season. He was more efficient at carving out chances than both Toni Kroos and Luka Modric and kept hold of the ball at a rate just shy of 90 per cent.
Despite all that, the Spanish attacking midfielder can’t seem to get near the pitch for Zinedine Zidane’s side this term.
The former Malaga man has made just four league appearances in total so far, with only one of those coming from the start. He’s also logged a paltry 127 minutes, which is the third fewest in the squad.
An ankle injury which saw him miss three games at the start of the season hasn’t helped his case to regain his place in the pecking order and, as a result of his sliding status at the Bernabeu, is now being linked with a move away from the club.
Gossip columns are rife with the suggestion that both Tottenham and Arsenal want the 24-year-old, with the former renewing their interest having spent large parts of the summer considering a bid.
Valued at £30m by football resource website Transfermarkt, Isco won’t come cheap and it’s arguable that neither club need him that much.
The two rivals are well stocked at the number 10 position, with Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli filling the role at White Hart Lane and Mesut Ozil leading a veritable gaggle of creators across town.
Based on his 2015/16 league numbers, which saw Isco play 2.1 key passes per 90 minutes, the Spaniard wouldn’t necessarily walk into either line up.
At the Emirates, Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez all bettered that, with the German heading the list at 4.3.
Spurs are in a similar boat, with Eriksen topping their list at 3.5 key passes per 90. Erik Lamela comes next at 2.8, while Alli is third at 2.
The north London pair are separated by just one point in the Premier League. We make Arsenal, who are third, the shorter price to win the division, at 6/1, while Spurs can be backed at 7s.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
