Chelsea offered £44m Isco transfer as Real Madrid line up Christian Eriksen Tottenham bid

Chelsea have been offered the opportunity to sign Isco in the January transfer window.

Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2019 by Express.co.uk

Chelsea offered £44m Isco transfer as Real Madrid line up Christian Eriksen Tottenham bid (Image: GETTY)

Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Isco in a £44million deal by Real Madrid. The Spanish giants are trying to offload players to make way for a £50m move for Tottenham's Christian Eriksen in January.

Spain midfielder Isco, 27, has struggled to pin down a regular place at the Bernabeu under coach Zinedine Zidane.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has insisted that his club will be looking to strengthen their side in January, with an £150m transfer kitty in the bank – and Isco is under consideration.

The skilful playmaker has recently fought his way back into Zidane's team, but was booked in Real's goalless draw with Barcelona last Wednesday before being taken off late in the game.

Manchester City are also though reported to be interested in the three-time Champions League winner.

Chelsea offered £44m Isco transfer as Real Madrid line up Christian Eriksen Tottenham bid (Image: GETTY)

Chelsea are interested in Borussia Dortmund's England striker Jadon Sancho – but not at the £100m fee being quoted.

The Stamford Bridge club have also earmarked Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha and RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner.

Danish midfielder Eriksen is still refusing to sign a new deal at Tottenham, even though new manager Jose Mourinho wants him to stay, and will be free to talk to clubs in January with his contract running out in the summer.

Lampard, however, insisted earlier this month that he will not overreact to a recent slide in form in January.

Chelsea offered £44m Isco transfer as Real Madrid line up Christian Eriksen Tottenham bid (Image: GETTY)

"I think you've got to be careful about being too reactionary – ban lifted and defeat to Everton – it's quite easy to come to that conclusion," he said.

"Just as much as people at the start of the season who were saying we've got all these young boys, this is going to be no problem, we don't need any players.

"I think at a club like Chelsea there needs to be a balance. You have a strong squad which I believe we have but you have to look at can we strengthen.

"And there will time times going forward, whether it's January or next summer, of course we're going to look at an opportunity to strengthen because we want to improve."

And Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has warned Lampard to be careful with the business he does in the winter window.

"I'm sure he's happy to get the transfer ban lifted but it would have been more simple to just have the players he has for this season and to work with them and believe in them," Neville said.

"If you bring two or three players in, you do end up trying to make changes quicker than you usually would.

"Sometimes you sign players and think they automatically deserve to go into the team and then a younger player gets left out and don't get the development.

"It's good for Chelsea that they've got the transfer ban lifted because they need a few players but there is a potential downside to it that could cause Frank a problem."