Arsenal are hopeful of signing Isco on loan in January, but they may have to play a waiting game to get a deal done.
The Spanish playmaker is said to be keen to leave the Santiago Bernabeu on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
Isco has fallen out of favour under Zinedine Zidane and has been restricted to just 10 La Liga appearances so far this season.
Only three of those outings have come from the start of matches, while the attacking midfielder has featured for just 13 minutes in the Champions League.
Isco wants to play more regular football ahead of this summer’s European Championship.
Arsenal are keeping close tabs on the situation as they seek to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad in the winter window.
The Gunners signed Dani Ceballos on a season-long loan from Madrid and are hopeful that Isco will make the same move this month.
However, they may have to remain patient in their pursuit of the former Malaga man.
It is not yet clear if Madrid will allow Isco to depart in the middle of the campaign, as Zinedine Zidane’s side target success on multiple fronts.
The Spanish champions are two points behind Atletico Madrid in the La Liga title race and are wary of weakening their squad in January.
Arsenal have not yet given up hope of agreeing a deal for Isco, though, and are prepared to wait until the end of the month if needs be.
There are also expected to be several outgoings at the Emirates Stadium before the start of February.
Sead Kolasinac has returned to Schalke on loan until the end of the season, and William Saliba, Reiss Nelson and Calum Chambers could all follow him through the exit door.
Arteta is also keen to offload Mesut Ozil, but it may be difficult to find a taker given the German’s enormous pay packet.
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