Isco assured of a place in Zidane's system

Posted Friday, September 15, 2017 by Marca.com

Thursday afternoon saw the news Real Madrid supporters have been waiting for finally confirmed, Isco has officially renewed his contract, assured of a place in Zinedine Zidane's system.

The former Malaga playmaker is now tied to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu until June 2022 with his buyout clause set at around 700 million euros.

A deal had been agreed in principle for a while, yet as is the modern trend in LaLiga, the contract was not officially inked until Thursday morning with a number of finer details needing to be agreed upon.

Any speculation of a transfer away from the Spanish capital can now be stopped, there will be no Barcelona move and Manchester City will not be taking the Spanish midfielder whom they have scouted for over three years.

Isco will remain with Real Madrid and following a six month spell where he has discovered the finest form of his career, he now has a concrete place in the first-team.
Such a position has not always been clear, hence the uncertainty surrounding his future, and even James Rodriguez had been above the Spaniard in the pecking order upon the French coach's arrival.

Players who are naturally suited to the No.10 position, just behind the striker, are becoming ever more versatile through necessity.

There is no longer the widespread clamour for such a player and it has seen several of the finest exponents of the role adapt their own game to suit a role in a deeper midfield position.

Isco is one such example and within the 4-4-2 system Zidane is currently utilising, there is a clear spot for him.

He is stationed on the left but given the marauding nature of Marcelo, combined with the Brazilian's outstanding workrate, Isco is given total freedom to drift and dictate play from the middle of the pitch.

Since the beginning of the current campaign, the 25-year-old has played in and adapted to this role rather quickly, his display against Manchester United drew comparisons to the great Andres Iniesta such was his sheer control over proceedings in Skopje.

Apoel Nicosia saw first-hand the freedom handed to the Spanish international on Wednesday evening as Isco popped up in what was almost a false-nine position in-between Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

His gives opposing teams so much to think about and there is no lack of balance even if recent domestic results haven't been positive.

That hasn't been any fault of Isco's, the chances have been created against both Valencia and Levante, they simply weren't converted.

It has taken time for Zidane to be convinced he could use the midfielder in a successful team, even if that now seems ridiculous.

Los Blancos are much better for the midfielder having found this new role and once everybody is available, we will once again see Zidane's team excel.