Isco and Marcelo still waiting to find a new club

For Isco and Marcelo, the immediate future remains on stand by. Both players have spent the summer waiting for an offer which meets their expectations but so far, none have arrived. We are practically at the end of the first week in August and both players are still without a club, with their futures in the air and trying to maintain a sense of calm while they wait. Both agree on one aspect: their priority is to continue in elite football. That’s a key detail - offers from ‘minor’ leagues such as the Qatari Stars League or MLS were practically the first to arrive - but not reciprocated. Both have proposals on the table, but they remain unsigned. Because both are still waiting for something better to arrive, but so far, nothing has.

Isco

He has fewer offers than his former team mate but has been closer to finding a new club. He seemed set on a move to Sevilla, fuelled by enthusiastic appraisal from coach Julen Lopetegui, who said a few weeks ago. “I’m not going to hide it, as a player I absolutely love him - he’s very competitive and, in addition, a great person. We’ll see what happens”. The big drawback however, is that Director of Sport Monchi has very different ideas for Sevilla’s project. He prioritizes young players who can offer sporting and economic benefits. On the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Isco is on everyone’s lips as Betis also had him marked on their agenda and, in fact, reached a pre-agreement with the player in the event that they qualified for Champions League. But that didn’t happen.

The firmest offer he has received has been from Roma. As AS reported, Mourinho himself contacted him to convey to him personally all the interest he had in their paths crossing again. The problem? Roma didn’t qualify for the Champions League. And Isco is clear that he wants to play in the top European competition, because he feels that is his level. Also, if he has any chance of returning for Spain and being part of Luis Enrique’s squad for this year’s World Cup year, he will need to be playing regularly in the elite. Roma’s voluminous offer was turned down by the player. Since he has been a free agent, Isco has been sharing his punishing training sessions on social media - workouts that he is undertaking on his own. He is determined to be at 100% from Day One wherever he ends up next. The problem is that, as of the moment, nothing has materialised.

Marcelo

The same can be said of Real Madrid’s former captain, whose future remains up in the air. On his social media accounts, there has been no daily record of his training regime or what he is doing to maintain physical shape while his future is being decided. He has had no shortage of offers, but he insists that he doesn’t want to give up elite football. That rules out one of the best offers - if not the best, from Qatar. Marcelo feels that it is not yet the time to take the step down to a lower league; he believes that he can compete at the top level. Another firm proposal was from his compatriot, Ronaldo Nazário, current owner of Real Valladolid. The proximity of the José Zorrilla to Madrid (a two-hour drive) was a plus factor, as Marcelo is also clear that he does not want to move his family from their home. His son plays for Madrid’s youth teams and the rest live, very settled, in the capital.

This does not completely rule out a move elsewhere, but it does influence every offer he receives from outside. But is he is realistic about playing in the Champions League then he will have to leave Spain. It’s a tough dilemma for the Brazilian full-back. AC Milan presented their proposal a few weeks ago, as did Olympique Marseille. There has also been interest from Turkey with clubs like Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor. In Spain, Getafe explored the possibility of signing him -that would allow him to continue living in Madrid with his family, but it would mean saying goodbye to Europe. August advances at a frantic pace and the futures of both players have yet to be sorted out. Where will they play next season? Marcelo and Isco remain on stand by - unsure of what the future holds for them.