Back in the summer of 2013, when Isco had an outstanding season with Malaga, Manchester City were one of the clubs who tried to take him from the La Liga side.
The Citizens signed manager Manuel Pellegrini from the very same club, and made an attempt to bring the midfielder along with his boss.
That didn’t happen, though, and Isco is now quoted by Sport explaining how things developed at the time.
The now Real Betis player insisted that Manchester City were a big transfer idea for him, but Real Madrid’s interest in taking him to the Santiago Bernabéu is what changed everything.
“Before we went on holiday I told him that I was going with him. Real Madrid appeared. That’s when I had to decide. I couldn’t say no to them, and they hadn’t won the Champions League for many years and I had the feeling that it was going to happen soon.”
Isco joined Real Madrid in a €30m deal, and that turned out quite well for him, with five Champions League trophies on his résumé.
Manchester City spent €115m in that transfer window. They signed Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, Steven Jovetic from Fiorentina, and Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas, both from Sevilla.
Those signings were good enough for Manuel Pellegrini to win the Premier League that season, and that was his only major trophy in charge of the club.
