Manchester United is reportedly targeting Real Madrid midfielder Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez, or simply Isco, in January, which said to have put team captain Wayne Rooney's future at the Old Trafford in doubt.
The 24-year-old Isco is considered as one of the finest number 10's in the world right now and with him playing the same position as Rooney in United, rumors abound that if the Red Devils could pull off his signing in the winter transfer window then it might mean the beginning of the end of the Englishman's 13-year reign in Manchester.
Caught Offside reported that United has "entered the race to sign" Isco and "if a deal is reached then it would subsequently shroud Wayne Rooney's future at the club in further doubt".
The 30-year-old Rooney was recently put on the bench by head coach Jose Mourinho during the club's dominating 4-1 victory over defending champions Leicester City at the Old Trafford last Saturday.
Juan Mata was inserted by Mourinho to start in place of the English national team skipper, but Rooney still found some playing time as the Special One subbed him in for teenage sensation Marcus Rashford at the 83rd minute of the match.
The report noted, though, that given the fact that aside from Rooney, Mata, and Rashford, players like Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Memphis Depay are all set to compete for playing time behind Zlatan Ibrahimović, "it doesn't seem to really make much sense for United to target another player in that same part of the pitch".
Meanwhile, The Sun indicated that Italia Serie A side AC Milan is also "monitoring the situation" of the 5-foot-9 Benalmádena, Spain native in Madrid.
Isco has so far failed to become a regular starter under Los Blancos manager Zinedine Zidane's rotation this season, appearing in only three out of six games so far all coming off the bench.
United reportedly has the advantage over Milan to snag Isco this January as I Rossoneri is not yet allowed to participate in transfer windows "until the club's takeover has been completed and a new hierarchy appointed", according to the report.
Isco is in his fourth season with Real after he was acquired from Malaga in the summer of 2013 for a transfer fee of €30 million.