Real Madrid Set Huge Price Tag for Isco as Reports Differ on Man City Interest

Manchester City will have pay a nine-figure fee to sign out-of-favour Real Madrid star Isco, according to reports.

Isco has played an increasingly peripheral role at the Bernabeu since Santiago Solari took charge. He hasn't started any of Real's last six La Liga matches and didn't even make it off the bench in their narrow win over Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

​AS claims that ​Isco could be offered an escape from his current situation by ​Manchester City, who have reportedly sounded the player out via an intermediary.

Isco is under contract until 2022 and has a release clause of €700m, but City are hopeful that the Spaniard's discontent may persuade Real to part with him for a much smaller fee.

It is claimed that City will test Madrid's resolve with an €86m bid, but Los Blancos are unwilling to part with Isco for anything less than the €100m Juventus paid for ​Cristiano Ronaldo last summer.

This could be a beneficial move for all parties, as Isco would thrive under Pep Guardiola's style of play at the Etihad Stadium, and ​Real Madrid could use the money to sign Eden Hazard from Chelsea.

However, Goal journalist ​Sam Lee believes that City moving for Isco is unlikely. City decided that they didn't want him in the summer as he is neither a number eight nor a winger in the mould of Leroy Sane or ​Raheem Sterling, and therefore there would be no place for him in the system.

Lee claims that a defensive midfielder is a higher priority for City, with Frenkie de Jong and Tanguy Ndombele on their shortlist, while they are also in the market for a left back.