Sport

Malaga’s Isco would follow ‘football father’ figure Manuel Pellegrini to Manchester City

By John McDougall

Spanish starlet Isco admits the lure of potentially linking up with boss Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City would be too good an opportunity to turn down.

The 21-year-old Malaga attacking midfielder has three years left on his contract at La Rosaleda, but looks set to leave the cash-strapped outfit this summer.

And while not ruling out Spanish giants Real Madrid, the ex-Valencia trainee is still not sure where he will be playing his football next season.

“My future nobody knows,” he told Spanish newspaper AS.

“Pellegrini is my footballing father, who gives me confidence – so you have to think about City and look at it.

“And Madrid? There is that, so we see what happens.”

The Spanish star – who scored 12 goals in 46 appearances last season – missed out on inclusion to Spain’s Confederations Cup squad, which starts tomorrow in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Pellegrini’s impending arrival at the Etihad Stadium to replace sacked Roberto Mancini could be delayed to July 1 to save paying Malaga compensation.

The Chilean has not been paid his wages for two months and if it stretches to a third, the former Premier League champions would save around £3million.

City are keen to cut costs having already paid Mancini – who won the FA Cup and Premier League – £7million compensation and spent just under £50million on Fernandinho and Jesus Navas.

Picture courtesy of Tam Tam via Wiki Commons, with thanks.

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