Friday, 8th February, 2013
Real Madrid were offered the chance to sign Santi Cazorla and Isco from Malaga for a fee of €35M a little more than a year ago – but Jose Mourinho did not want to do the deal.
According to Spanish daily El Confidencial, Malaga, beset by financial concerns, contacted Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to offer Los Blancos the chance to buy both Cazorla and Isco for a total fee of €35M.
Malaga were keen to raise money and felt Real Madrid could be willing to buy both players for a reasonable set sum.
Perez consulted Mourinho over whether to go ahead and make the purchase, but the Portuguese tactician preferred not to push ahead to secure the pair, with his eyes firmly set on snapping up Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, which Real Madrid duly did last summer.
Cazorla subsequently moved on to English Premier League giants Arsenal in the summer transfer window, as Mourinho captured Modric.
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Isco meanwhile remained at Malaga and has seen his stock soar with a vital role handed to him in Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
The Spaniard recently signed a new contract, with his release clause set at €35M, the sum which could have taken both him and Cazorla to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have gone on to have a lacklustre campaign so far, with Modric struggling to make a major impact in La Liga.
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