Manchester City is once again linked with Isco. The Daily Mail and The Mirror both report that City is interested in the 23-year-old Real Madrid midfielder.

These rumors picked up steam once Carlo Ancelotti was sacked from Real Madrid and replaced with Rafa Benitez. Benitez will surely look to overhaul the squad and build it to his own liking.

While Ancelotti liked using Isco in his side, it is currently unknown if Benitez rates Isco as highly as his previous manager. If Benitez isn’t as high on Isco as Ancelotti was, the playmaking Spaniard would likely want to leave.

The major x-factor for this possible transfer is not anyone currently at City or Real. Rather, it is Raheem Sterling. The disgruntled Liverpool winger is all but a guarantee to leave Merseyside in the summer. City is interested in the young Englishman, but so is Real. Sterling could very easily be brought in by Benitez and Real with the intentions of replacing and upgrading from Isco.

If Sterling went to Real, City would need to pursue their other targets for an attacking midfielder, especially now that James Milner is confirmed to be joining Liverpool. Isco would be near the top of the list and more readily availible to be sold than Kevin De Bruyne.

While Manchester City would do just about anything to get Wolfsburg’s brilliant playmaker, the Bundesliga side aren’t showing much interest in getting rid of him, regardless of the price tag.

De Bruyne led the Bundesliga in assists and was clearly one of their most crucial players in their 2014-15 campaign, which qualified them for the UEFA Champions League. Wolfsburg would like to do well in the Champions League and try to give Bayern Munich a run for their money in the Bundesliga. Selling their best player is not the way to do that.

In comparison, Isco is not the star of Real like De Bruyne is the star of Wolfsburg. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez are just some of the many players on Real’s roster with more star power and importance to the side than Isco. Isco is replaceable much more than De Bruyne is, which would mean Real would be more likely to sell him.

Ultimately, this transfer depends on what Benitez would like to do with Real Madrid. If he values having young Spanish talent on the roster, this transfer won’t likely happen. But if he has his eyes on Sterling and sees Isco as surplus to needs, he would be a welcome and valuable addition to City.