Everton have Isco in their sights as Roma consider Nicolo Zaniolo replacement
Everton still have Isco in their sights but Roma are now considering the Spaniard to replace Galatasaray-bound Nicolo Zaniolo, Sport Italia reports.
After going empty-handed through the January transfer window the Toffees are left to consider out of contract options to strengthen Sean Dyche’s squad.
Andre Ayew was missed when he went to Nottingham Forest, but three-time Champions League-winning former Real Madrid man Isco remains available after his move to Union Berlin fell through at the last.
Everton are apparently still looking at him but now have Jose Mourinho’s Serie A side, who are on the brink of selling January Toffees target Zaniolo to Turkey.
Fabrizio Romano has reported via Twitter on Tuesday (7 January) that the Italian’s €20million [£17.8million] deal is done and he is now flying out for medical tests.
That leaves a space in the Roma squad that they are considering filling with 30-year-old Isco ahead of Everton.
Cost effective?
The attacking midfielder doesn’t seem like the archetype Dyche player but could offer some invention from midfield that arguably hasn’t been seen since James Rodriguez left.
But if the Toffees manager is content with what he saw from his set up in the 1-0 win over Arsenal on 4 February then he might feel he doesn’t need a player who is no longer the force he once was.
Wages-wise the Spanish star isn’t going to come cheap, so it only makes sense if the manager believes he can use him.
Dyche set up with a midfield trio of Idrissa Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana, and while the latter of the three has undoubted quality on the ball he is yet to show up as an assist machine.
But whether Isco would be cut out for, or indeed interested in joining, a Dyche line up is open to question.
Everton saw a significant new manager bounce in the win over Arsenal, which makes it tempting to overlook the former Madrid and Sevilla man, but most Toffees bosses win their first game so if Dyche can’t follow it up with more positive results it might push the club to look harder at who is available.
But whether Isco will still be available by then as Roma look at him is another matter.