Marco Asensio representatives jet in for Arsenal talks with Mikel Arteta a fan of Real Madrid star
This week, Marco Asensio’s agents will travel to London to gauge Premier League interest in their client.
The future of the 27-year-old is uncertain, and Real Madrid will wait until March or April to determine whether to offer him new terms. His current contract expires this summer, having joined the club for less than £4 million from Mallorca.
His contract situation has allowed his agents to explore other opportunities, and Arsenal, whose manager Mikel Arteta is a fan, are among the clubs they intend to contact.
Asensio desires a four-year contract and a higher salary than he currently earns in Madrid, which is reportedly £118,000 per week.
The attacking midfielder has been featured more frequently by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti recently, but neither Los Blancos nor the Italian have confirmed that he is part of the club’s long-term plans.
Asensio has started two of Real’s last three La Liga games and scored from the opening whistle in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Valencia.
It is believed that Asensio was leaning toward a departure last season, and his top priority for any future contract is the guarantee of more playing time.
However, tensions between the player and club have eased in recent weeks as the Spaniard has played more.
The president of the club, Florentino Perez, has expressed his admiration for the player, who is beginning to return to form for Los Blancos.
Real Madrid closed the gap on league-leading Barcelona to just five points with a win against Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius Jr also scored in the contest, which helped Real cut the deficit to just five points.
Asensio could be a crucial cog in Real Madrid’s title push, and if he performs well, he could garner interest from suitors throughout Europe, including Arsenal.
Paris Saint-Germain attempted to sign the player during the January transfer window’s final days. According to Madrid Universal, however, the French club did not submit a bid.
The economics of the contract will likely be a barrier between the parties once more. Only six Arsenal players earn more than Asensio’s current £110k salary, with Gabriel Jesus earning the most at £265k.
Importantly, two of the three senior players signed by the Gunners in the summer earn more than £150,000 per week, indicating that they are willing to increase the wage bill. Arteta is a huge fan of Asensio, and he may be interested in bringing him to the Emirates Stadium.
Asensio’s immediate focus, however, is on Real, and he is set to start for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in Sunday’s La Liga match against former club Mallorca.
Marco Asensio representatives jet in for Arsenal talks with Mikel Arteta a fan of Real Madrid star
