Chelsea want Isco and have made £160,000-a-week offer for Tottenham target as he edges closer to Real Madrid exit
Number of top clubs keen on the playmaker whose large wage demands have put president Florentino Perez in difficult position
REAL MADRID star Isco's transfer saga rumbles on with the playmaker now interesting Chelsea, who are set to make a £160,000-a-week summer deal.
Reports in Spain claim the Blues have formally entered the race for the Spain international, and are willing to pay his large wage demands.
Antonio Conte is aiming to gazump cross-town rivals Spurs to their long-time target, along with a host of European elite including Manchester City and Barcelona.
So often left out of the starting lineup by Zinedine Zidane this term, he is reportedly still wanted at the Bernabeu by president Florentino Perez.
But with a host of top clubs circling, Isco knows he has leverage and wants a new £8.5million-a-year deal from his current employers, says .
related stories
This puts Perez in an awkward position, as it would put the bit-part player on more money than the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema - and on par with captain Sergio Ramos.
The quartet, crucial to Zidane's way of playing, will no doubt see this as unacceptable, and will want increases if Isco gets his way.
Contract rebel Isco was reportedly threatened with a year in the stands by Real bosses as he continues to be linked to fierce La Liga rivals Barca.
What’s worse, he could potentially leave for free with his current deal ending on June 30, meaning Los Blancos bosses will not be able to recoup a single penny for the man they bought from Malaga for around £26million in 2013.
Reports claimed they will banish him to the stands while trying to negotiate a big-money move for the Spain international and two-time Champions League winner.