SOCCER
Union Berlin had doubts over Isco’s physique
Reports in Germany suggest that the player’s representatives demanded more than was previously agreed in the negotiations for the Spaniard.
In Germany, the transfer of Isco Alarcón to Union Berlin continues to reveal its various layers. Two days after the operation dramatically broke down in the final moments of the winter market - despite the fact that the player had already passed the relevant medical tests - the German newspaper “Bild” has revealed all the details that led to the rupture between the player and club. As always, money was key when it came to the collapse of the Malagueño’s arrival at the historic German club.
According to Bild, Gestifute, the agency run by Jorge Mendes, received the draft of the contract this past Monday and was informed that the player would not be included in the team’s Europa League list until his physical condition was known. The footballer himself received this information during the medical examination carried out on Tuesday, a few hours before the market closed, at which point everything went south.
Isco demanded more
Club sources say it was then that Isco’s entourage began to demand more than what was previously agreed. Initially, the club and player reached an agreement for a one-year contract with a salary of more than €1 million plus a transfer bonus of around €1.5 million. In addition, Union Berlin had agreed to include a termination clause for the second year, but did not agree to pay a second bonus of the same fee for the second season, as it had not been previously agreed.
Oliver Ruhnert, manager of the Bundesliga side, was quoted in a press release: “We would have liked to have Isco with us, but we have our limits. Today they have been exceeded, contrary to what was previously agreed, so the signing will not take place”. Isco himself was not as outspoken, simply saying that the collapsed deal was “[some]thing that happens in football”.
Bundesliga 2022/2023
| Classification | PTS | WM | TM | LM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1FC Bayern München | 37 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
| 21. FC Union Berlin e.V. | 36 | 11 | 3 | 4 |
| 3RB Leipzig | 35 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Upcoming matches | |
|---|---|
| 1. FC Union Berlin e.V. - 1. FSV Mainz 05 | S-04/02 09:30 |
| RB Leipzig - 1. FC Union Berlin e.V. | S-11/02 12:30 |
*Data updated to date Feb 2nd, 2023
Everton to swoop in for the lost lamb?
If reports in England are to be believed, Isco could have a move to Premier League on the cards, with Everton said to be circling. The Liverpool club, who sit well in the relegation zone of the top division, are reportedly interested in bringing in the player. New manager Sean Dyche is looking for recruitments to bolster his squad for their relegation battle and Isco is seen as a player who could perhaps aid them in their fight at the bottom of the league.
The midfielder, 30, is available on a free transfer. When asked about the potential transfer, Dyche said “there’s a list of players we’ll be looking through and seeing if they fit what we’re trying to do, do they fit what we need to achieve going forward and can they also do it pretty quickly. You can sign players for the future but that’s different. We need players that can affect things now so the first port of call is in-house.”
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