Isco: There was some contact with Barcelona but I never listened to it

Midfielder renews with Real until 2022

Posted Saturday, September 16, 2017 by Marca.com

Thursday's announcement came as a huge relief to Real Madrid supporters, as Isco renewed his contract with the club until June 2022 and the Spaniard has confirmed that there were talks with Barcelona before settling on an extended stay at Los Blancos.

Breaking into the first-team in the 2016/17 season was difficult for the former Malaga playmaker and everyone was acutely aware of his contractual situation.

As such there were links with both Barcelona and Manchester City, yet it was the links to the Camp Nou that greatly alarmed those within Valdebebas.

"There was some contact but I never listened to it, my intention was always to succeed here in a team that had confidence in me, I want to consolidate my position as a starter and win many titles," he explained to the assembled press.

Despite not always being a regular first-team member since he arrived at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Isco can call upon numerous positive memories and he believes winning La Decima was his finest Real Madrid moment.

"I would say that La Decima was memorable, it was the club's most desired European Cup, there have been bad moments, the beginning of last season when I suffered an ankle injury, that really angered me," he noted.

Zinedine Zidane didn't initially know how best to use the Spanish midfielder when he took the job, it took time for the Frenchman to trust Isco in a footballing perspective, yet the midfielder recalls the belief the Frenchman gave him from day one.

"From the first day [Zidane] arrived, he told me he believed in me," said the player.

"He showed me his confidence from the very first moment and I've been patient, in the end this is a team game and you must wait for your moment."

Negotiations over the renewal, which includes a 700 million euro buy-out clause, have been ongoing for a number of months although this is largely because Isco wanted to focus on football.

"The timing is merely anecdotal, I could have renewed last year but I wanted to be focused on the season, I was always determined to re-sign," said Isco.

Injuries and suspension has forced former Castilla coach Zidane to adapt to a new 4-4-2 formation of late and in doing so he has found the perfect position for Isco.

Coming in off the left into a central midfield position has allowed Isco to thrive, and the player himself believes it is better to be a key part of an incredibly gifted unit.

"We have a very competitive team, we are all crucial," he stated.

"I don't feel as though I'm an automatic starter but it is very important that the team unit is exceptional."