Everton target Isco saw his move to Union Berlin collapse at the end of the window because he demanded two signing bonuses, claim Bild.
The Toffees are left looking for free agent help after they went through the duration of the transfer window without signing anybody, then missed out on free agent Ghanian international Andre Ayew on Thursday (2 February) when he signed for Nottingham Forest.
That has left former Real Madrid star Isco as the main name currently linked to arriving at Goodison Park, after The Times reported on Wednesday that he was under consideration.
The 30-year-old was on the brink of signing for Bundesliga side Union Berlin on the penultimate day of the transfer window (30 January) but the deal fell through after he had arrived for a medical.
Bild claim that he was unhappy at not being included in the club's Europa League squad and had wanted a second signing bonus added to his contract, which was only due to be a year and a half long.
Despite agreeing wages of €1million for the rest of the season, with a €1.5million signing bonus, the Spaniard supposedly then insisted on a second payment of the same amount before the second season of his deal which hadn't been in the draft contract, and was refused by Union Berlin.
Bild end their report with the ominous line: “Perhaps Everton will have better luck with the 38-cap Spain international or meet his demands as requested.”
Not going to happen
There could be an element of he said, she said to this report coming out after a deal collapsed, but it certainly makes the chances of Isco arriving at Goodison Park seem pretty slim.
Everyone knows the multiple Champions League winner has plenty of quality, but he hadn't been a central part of the side at the Santiago Bernabeu for at least a couple of years before he left in the summer.
Now his Sevilla contract has been terminated midseason and he has seen a move to Germany fall through apparently amid him trying to add more money to the deal at the last minute.
There no doubt is a club where he fit in perfectly right now, but the struggling Toffees under Sean Dyche don't sound like they are it.
The new boss refused to directly answer when Isco's name was put to him in his first press conference on Thursday, instead referring to the fact there was a list of players they would consider, but he might as well have ruled it out.
Fans might be encouraged just to see that the club is capable of attracting any players through the door after the events of the past month, and the irony is that in many ways overpaying for an Isco who is no longer the player he once was would be a typical Farhad Moshiri move.
Visions of the early stages of James Rodriguez might make the idea attractive for an Everton midfield that could use some more creativity, but it would be a big surprise if this actually happens.