Arsenal have expressed their desire to sign Real Madrid playmaker Isco on a short-term loan in the upcoming January transfer window.

According to Defensa Central, Arsenal are in pole position to secure the services of Isco. Mikel Arteta has already identified the Real Madrid star as his desired target as he looks to sign a new playmaker in the upcoming January transfer window.

Arsenal are yet to submit any formal offer for the player. However, they do plan on signing him on loan in January, with the short-term contract containing a purchase option that should allow the north London giants to secure his services permanently, although the potential value of that transfer has not been disclosed.

Real Madrid are also open to negotiating the departure of Isco, although they are not very keen on a January loan move to Arsenal. Instead, the Spanish giants prefer a move directly in the summer,  perhaps in fear that he might further decline in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League. It might ultimately reflect badly on his overall valuation.

The Spaniard has already endured a difficult time at Santiago Bernabeu, especially following the re-appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the head coach. He has, in fact, mustered a total of just over 2,200 minutes of league football since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, falling behind the likes of Vinicius Junior, Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Martin Odegaard in the pecking order.

Isco has grown frustrated with the lack of first-team minutes coming his way. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Isco has grown frustrated with the lack of first-team minutes coming his way. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Arsenal, however, could cherish the potential addition of Isco in their ranks for multiple reasons. They already have a weak creative unit, with wingers like Willian and Nicolas Pepe providing very little substance going forward this season while Mesut Ozil has been omitted from the club’s Premier League squad.

As a result, coach Arteta lacks a reliable number ten, with Isco emerging as an ideal solution. The Spaniard has a lot of experience at the highest level of football and could also provide the winning mentality to the club considering his past achievements at the Bernabeu.

More importantly, however, Isco’s ability to provide a creative essence in the final third, combined with his set-piece prowess could bode well for an Arsenal side, who haven’t quite been able to create a substantial amount of goalscoring opportunities for strikers like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

However, any move for Isco could hinge on the future of Ozil. The German playmaker was notably linked with a move to MLS outfit DC United in the summer and it will be interesting to see if any club makes any advances in the upcoming January transfer window.

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