Arsenal are now ready to step into the race for Marco Asensio, according to reports. Liverpool supposedly want the player.
This comes from AS in Spain. They claim that Arsenal have Marco Asensio in their sights and Mikel Arteta is a ‘great supporter’ of the move.
They’re not the only ones to throw their hat into the ring, either. Juventus also want Asensio and could soon make a move for the Spaniard.
Asensio is entering the final year of his contract with Real Madrid and it appears unlikely that he’ll agree a new one. That’s not because Los Blancos are unwilling, they just can’t give the player what he wants – regular first-team football.
There have been plenty of reports over the last month claiming that Liverpool are firmly in this race, too. Cope recently claimed that the Reds and AC Milan had put offers to Asensio, for instance.
AS actually made a similar claim first. They say that Liverpool had made the player aware of their interest – though, it wasn’t clear whether that meant signing him now or at the end of his contract. What they did say was that Real want £34m – and that’s a fairly steep price.
For Liverpool, anyway, who don’t actually need Asensio. He’s a very talented player but the Reds have a packed squad up top. There’s still a justification for signing him but probably not at £34m. Especially when you look at certain stats.
Thus we think Arsenal can get the upper hand here. They’re able to offer Asensio more regular football than Liverpool and may justify that price was more ease. We doubt that he was ever a priority target but the Gunners’ interest is unquestionably a blow for the Reds’ chances of signing Asensio on the cheap.
