Asensio almost certainly available on free transfer for Arsenal
FT Desk
- 13 Sept 2022 04:00 BST
- 3 min read
Arsenal target Marco Asensio is out of contract at the end of this season, and the chances of him extending his stay at Real Madrid are looking slimmer by the day.
A Real Madrid academy graduate, Asensio has been one of los Blancos' better players in his time, winning three Champions Leagues and contributing 12 goals and two assists in all competitions last season as Real did the continental double.
But Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo and even Eden Hazard are all now above him in Real's pecking order in for the wide attacking areas, and with his contract winding down, Asensio has been restricted to just eight minutes of La Liga football this season.
Liverpool are being linked with Marco Asensio by Sport, as, and Mundo Deportivo.
The year is also 2019 and he's scoring goals like this:pic.twitter.com/iRBQ3GMLFr— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) June 20, 2022
Things came to a head on Sunday when Asensio on Sunday when Madrid beat Real Mallorca 4-1 at the Santaigo Bernabeu to stay two points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Hazard started up front, while Vinicius, Valverde and Rodrygo were each on target. Carlo Ancelotti used four subs - Nacho, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Carvajal - and when Asensio wasn't in their number, he let rip.
Angry Asensio
Asked to warm up but then not used, Asensio threw away his bib, kicked a cool box and tossed his bottle to the ground.
"If he's angry, I agree with him," ever-cool coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the game. "It's normal, it means he wants to play, to feel important. In this period, he has been the player most affected in the squad and I take that into account.
"I'm totally in agreement with his anger. It's fine."
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Asensio apparently no longer thinks his situation is fine, however. He parted ways wity his agent Horacio Gaggioli this summer in an attempt to expedite his exit from the Bernabeu.
"Marco Asensio was offered to many important English clubs by his agent over the past two weeks, including Arsenal and Man Utd," transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano told German outlet Wettfreunde last month.
Now an exit seems unavoidable, the Gunners will be on high alert.
