Two different clubs have already sent Everton potential warning about signing Isco

Former Real Madrid midfielder Isco is currently a free agent after leaving Sevilla at the end of 2022, but after the Spanish side terminated his deal and Union Berlin opted at the last-minute not to sign him on deadline day after completing a medical, should Everton steer clear?

Given Everton opted to not sign a single player in the January window despite their dismal form this season, fans are worried for the rest of the campaign even with the managerial appointment of relegation survival specialist Sean Dyche.

Options on the free agent market are limited, but some players have sparked an interest. The most high-profile name is clearly Isco, who was once considered one of the most technically gifted attacking midfielders in Europe during his peak at Real Madrid.

However, fast forward to the present day and the Spaniard is currently without a club after playing 19 games for Sevilla this season, following a move in the summer. Whilst there were some flashes of the old Isco, most notably his brilliant strike during the 3-0 win over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, he failed to find any consistency as he left before Christmas.

On top of that, Bundesliga side Union Berlin moved to sign the free agent on deadline day, only to have the deal break down after a medical was completed. Contrary to popular belief, there were no reports that the midfielder had failed his medical, but it came down to other factors.

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Union explained: “Conditions of the deal have changed compared to initial discussions. We wanted to have Isco in Berlin, but we have our limits. These were exceeded today — contrary to the previous agreement. The transfer will not happen.”

According to Paul Joyce, Everton are interested in bringing the free agent to Goodison Park, in a deal that would see Isco play under Sean Dyche - that’s a sentence we didn’t expect to hear at the start of the season.

Jorge Mendes is his agent and it could mean big wages would be attached to the deal and considering his recent form, there’s no guarantee he would be worth big money.

But, looking at Everton’s squad after the January window, fans are right to be outraged over the lack of signings especially after pocketing £40m+ following the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United.

Whilst the name carries weight, looking at his statistics it’s clear that Isco is far from the player we once knew. The only stats he ranks highly for is passes completed, passes attempted and interceptions and the pace of the Premier League would likely be an issue as well.

On top of that, it’s hard to envision how a Dyche team that could compensate for a technical playmaker such as Isco, no matter how much Everton are crying out for a creative player. We saw James Rodriguez enjoy some success early on in England under Carlo Ancelotti, but that quickly fizzled out before he prompty left England.

At the time, he was younger and fresher than Isco is now, and Everton weren’t battling relegation. With Sevilla and Union Berlin deciding to pass on Isco, perhaps it’s a sign for Everton to do too, no matter how desperate fans are for a signing.