Sridhar Bhamidi
Manchester United may have got a shot in the arm as reports in the Spanish media indicate that Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio is interested in moving to Old Trafford.
According to Diario Gol, the Spaniard is open to the idea of quitting Real Madrid in pursuit of regular first-team action. Reports picked up by the English media earlier in the summer reported that the Red Devils were interested in signing Asensio, whom manager Jose Mourinho sees as a vital addition to his long-term plans.
He started the season in superb form with Zinedine Zidane considering Asensio as a vital part of his side. However, in recent weeks, the Spaniard has found himself more on the sidelines and it is being believed that he is weighing up the idea of moving out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
A host of top European clubs are reportedly vying for his signature, but the report also indicates that Asensio favours a move to Old Trafford and prove his worth in the Premier League. The catch here though is that Madrid president Florentino Perez is reluctant to let the 21-year-old go and will demand a hefty fee considering the fact that he signed a new deal only a few months ago.
Zidane may not be averse to letting Asensio go as he feels that the Spaniard lacks the consistency to be a success at the Bernabeu.
How trustworthy is this link? Dariogol is one of the most active tabloids when it comes to transfer rumours but rarely comes up with genuine links. More importantly, this is a player who has only recently signed a long-term contract.
The Spanish clubs generally keep lofty release clauses to protect their players and Asensio has one as well. Even if Real Madrid decide to keep the asking price below his release clause, they could be reluctant to do business with United unless it involves David de Gea. And, we will certainly not entertain any discussion about our No.1.
So, for me, this is a non-starter. What do you think?
