Reports continue in the media that Everton could be willing to make a January move for the Real Madrid forward Isco.
There were some initial stories circulating that the Spanish player is the latest casualty of Real coach Zinedine Zidane’s culling of his squad and would be available in the new year with Everton mentioned as a very possible destination.
Carlo Ancelotti has been a little coy about whether he would be open to make such a deal happen for a player he managed at Los Blancos, although he was full of praise for the 28-year-old and would surely enjoy working with him again.
Isco would be a tremendous addition to the Italian’s squad and such a signing might prove a decisive one to the outcome of the Blues season.
The past two Premier League games have starkly underlined how dependent the Toffees already are on the influence and creative flair of Isco’s former team mate James Rodriguez.
Without the brilliant Colombian’s input and also Brazilian Richarlison, Everton’s attack withered against Newcastle United and the team looked a pale shadow of the side that had lit up the early weeks of the Premier League season.
It’s clear for all to see that without the South American stars in the side, the Blues are going to find it might hard to create and score enough goals to overcome a still leaky defence.
In fact on the evidence of those last matches, it will be back to the desperate and often, dreadful performances of last season. Clearly there is much still to do to ensure that the Toffees have a squad good enough to cope with the inevitable loss of key players to injury and suspension.
Rodriguez’ injury problem has been very irritating with the Colombian under-par against Southampton and then missing at Newcastle. At any rate given a punishing Premier League schedule, it seems unlikely that he will be expected to play every week and perform to the same high standards without any drop in form.
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The Everton coach has said he expects his ace forward to be back against Manchester United on Saturday, but we still don’t know if that means he will be able to start or merely take part later.
The problem is that the Toffees need him desperately against United as they can’t afford another defeat if the team want to sustain the great start made and turn that into a successful outcome.
Ancelotti’s decision to pick a plethora of midfielders at St James Park, while it backfired on the day, might just have been a less then subtle hint again that he needs further investment in the squad to achieve something substantial.
Isco would seem tailor-made for the Blues team. He is versatile and plays across the midfield or forward line and offers terrific creative skill and goals, all of which Everton need more of.
I think a signing of this kind, especially on loan, would be a real further statement of intent and it would take the pressure of Rodriguez as the side’s creative hub.