Isco 'reaches agreement' to join Real Betis on free transfer
By Sean Walsh
Real Madrid midfielder Isco has 'reached an agreement' with Real Betis to join the club this summer following the expiration of his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 30-year-old has spent nine seasons with Los Blancos and made 351 appearances for the club in all competitions, but has fallen way down the pecking order in recent seasons.
Indeed, Isco has played just 15 times this term and is nearing the end of his contract in the Spanish capital with Real Madrid ready to let him leave for nothing, and AS report that he is on his way to Real Betis.
Isco has agreed to an initial two-year deal at the Estadio Benito Villamarin with the option for a third in a move that would see him link up with Manuel Pellegrini - the duo worked together at Malaga in the early 2010s, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in their final season at La Rosaleda.
It is likely that Isco will replace Nabil Fekir in the team with the Betis board expecting to receive big offers for the Frenchman, though this is a stance they maintained last summer and a suitable bid did not arrive.
Listen now to 90min's brand new podcast, Talking Transfers, with Scott Saunders & Graeme Bailey. Toby Cudworth joins the show this week to discuss contract situations at West Ham, while there are updates on Man City's pursuit of Erling Haaland and Chelsea's plans for Romelu Lukaku.
Isco is in line to earn at least €20m from this Betis contract, with incentives regarding Champions League qualification helping to make it the most expensive deal that the club have ever forked out.
Los Verdiblancos won this season's Copa del Rey at the weekend - just the fourth major honour in the club's history and the first since 2005 - and are still in with a shout of qualifying for next season's Champions League, sitting fifth in La Liga and four points off the top four with four games remaining.