Superagent Jorge Mendes has reportedly given Barcelona the opportunity to sign Real Madrid star Marco Asensio to a five-year contract, according to a report by writer Tomas Gonzalez-Martin on El Debate....CONTINUE READING
Asensio is in the final year of his Real Madrid contract, and there have been rumors that Barça is keeping a close eye on his situation because they think he could be a valuable addition to the team and will join on a free transfer. Asensio is in the final year of his Real Madrid contract.
In contrast, the 26-year-old winger left the door open for a move to Barcelona in a recent interview, igniting the rumors even more.
Asensio will enter the final six months of his Real Madrid contract in January, and it is now being alleged that Mendes is already moving in the background to give Barcelona the chance to talk to him about signing a five-year deal then.
The story goes so far as to say that Asensio’s profile was already taken to Barcelona during the summer transfer window after contract negotiations with the Merengues fell down due to his pay demands.
Joan Laporta, the president of Barça, turned down a transfer at the time because the Catalans were focusing on other acquisitions and believed Real Madrid would use them as leverage in any deal. The club president also didn’t want to sour his friendship with Florentino Perez, his Real Madrid counterpart.
So, it’s thought that Laporta promised Mendes that if Asensio became a free agent, he would think about signing him.
The 26-year-old had been linked to clubs in England and Italy, but he was unable to find a suitor who fit his preferences. As a result, he stayed at Real Madrid, knowing that he could choose his preferred club and receive a signing-on bonus if he left as a free agent.
Even though Asensio won’t be a regular starter at Spotify Camp Nou and would have to contend with players like Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, and Ansu Fati for spots, it appears that Barcelona is now a strong contender for his services.
