Football FanCast
·23 November 2021
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·23 November 2021
Leeds United could find themselves a new Pablo Hernandez amid emerging transfer reports…
According to The Sunday People [November 21st, page 57], the Yorkshire giants are one of two Premier League clubs to have sounded out a move for Real Madrid outcast Isco ahead of the January transfer window.
The 29-year-old is out of contract in the summer and the La Liga outfit are resigned to losing him, but they would rather garner some sort of fee for him this winter, instead of him leaving for nothing at the end of the season.
West Ham are the other club to be contracted, as per the report, and as little as £4m could be enough to sign him permanently, though he is thought to be on wages of around £123k-per-week, which currently eclipses any player at Elland Road.
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With this move, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa and director of football Victor Orta could be looking to replicate the signing of Pablo Hernandez, who swapped life in Spain and Qatar for west Yorkshire in the twilight years of his career.
Indeed, he initially joined on loan in 2015/16 at the age of 30 and stayed for five seasons, where he amassed 175 appearances and provided 36 goals and 41 assists, via Transfermarkt.
His guile and experience in the final third is arguably something that Bielsa is missing right now, having averaged just one goal per game in the Premier League this term. Granted, Patrick Bamford’s injury hasn’t helped matters, but it can’t help to further support him upon his return.
Isco may be regarded as a flop at the Bernabeu in some quarters but he could still offer plenty to a team like Leeds, who are sitting perilously above the relegation zone.
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In more than 340 appearances for Los Galacticos, the £13.5m-rated Spaniard has contributed 52 goals and 56 assists, on his way to four Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga titles, as per Transfermarkt.
The 38-cap Spain international was was dubbed an “incredible talent” by a former arch-rival in Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, whilst an average of 1.9 key passes last term and two key passes per 90 this term, via WhoScored, suggests that he can still be a hugely creative influence.
Orta and co could well sign Bielsa’s next Hernandez with a bold swoop for Isco in January.