Isco has revealed that his friendship with Alvaro Morata and the appeal of Madrid as a city were major factors in his decision to snub Manchester City and join Real.
The Spanish midfielder looked likely to follow his former manager Manuel Pellegrini and move from Malaga to City in June 2013, but after receiving an offer from Los Blancos he decided against a move to the Premier League.
Instead, following his involvement in the under-21 European Championships he became Carlo Ancelotti’s first signing at Real, joining for a €30 million fee and signing a five-year deal.
And speaking with Spanish newspaper Marca in a recent interview the 24-year-old confirmed that his friendship with Real striker Morata, formed with Spain’s youth side, was important in rejecting City.
“I was playing at the under-21 European Championships, it was my father who led the negotiations. It’s true that Morata got to me a bit because I wanted to be with him,” he said.
“In the end the Madrid is Madrid: it is the best in the world, it’s very difficult to say no.
“I had the intuition that sooner or later would come La Décima, because they had many years without winning the Champions League… and I was right.”
Pellegrini had great success in his first season with City having left Malaga, winning the Premier League and League Cup double in 2013/14 – achievements which Isco missed out on.
However, the Chilean manager struggled to replicate it thereafter, winning just one more League Cup in the next two season before leaving.
By contrast, and despite his sometimes limited involvement, Isco has picked up two Champions League medals in his three years in Madrid, as well as a Copa del Rey title.
The midfielder has struggled for game-time of late, making just four appearances in Real’s opening seven La Liga games this season and his contractual situation has put his future at the club in doubt.
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