Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender no longer opposed to summer departure as agent explores offers
Raul Asencio is no longer completely closing the door on a Real Madrid exit this summer, with fresh reports suggesting the defender’s future has become one of the club’s priorities before any further moves in the transfer market.
Although Asencio has previously been expected to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu, the situation appears to have evolved significantly.
As such, according to Ramon Alvarez de Mon, speaking on Ruben Martin’s YouTube channel, Asencio’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has started exploring opportunities that would at least match the defender’s current salary, indicating that a departure is no longer being completely ruled out.
Real Madrid want clarity on Asencio’s future
Real Madrid currently have five recognised central defenders in the first-team squad, and the club is determined to reduce that number before authorising another signing.
That development has made Asencio’s future a central issue in Real Madrid’s summer planning.
The club believes that creating space in the squad must come before pursuing another centre-back and because of that, Asencio’s situation has effectively become the key that could unlock Real Madrid’s next move in the transfer market.
On that note, the reported interest in defenders such as Alessandro Bastoni remains dependent on first resolving the Spanish defender’s future.
Mourinho prefers a different approach
While the club’s executives have established one transfer strategy, Mourinho is understood to favour a different sequence of events.
According to the report, the Portuguese coach would prefer Real Madrid to sign a new centre-back before sanctioning Asencio’s departure.
He reasons that if another defender arrives first, competition for places would immediately increase, giving Mourinho stronger grounds to explain to Asencio that his route into the starting XI has become more difficult.
That scenario, in the manager’s view, could make it easier to convince the young defender to consider a move elsewhere.
For now, no final decision has been made, but Asencio’s future appears increasingly important to Real Madrid’s transfer defensive rebuild this summer.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho does not want Real Madrid new signing to be affected by price tag, will continue slow integration
Real Madrid had an explosive summer transfer window with as many as six new big signings coming through to strengthen the first-team squad, while Sergio Martinez was also roped in with an eye on the future.
Up until Friday, things were going well for Jose Mourinho & co., but the 1-0 loss to Real Betis has put the team under the scanner once again.
Questions are being asked, in particular, of the club’s most explosive signing, Yan Diomande.
Mourinho not changing plans with Diomande
However, according to journalist Alvaro Esteban, Mourinho will continue with the plan of integrating Diomande slowly into the team.
The Real Madrid boss does not want the 19-year-old winger to be negatively affected by his massive price tag this summer and the pressure generated because of it.
After all, Los Blancos shelled out an enormous €125 million plus €15 million in add-ons to sign Diomande from RB Leipzig.
Should all the variables be met, he will become the most expensive signing in Real Madrid history. And, naturally, such a price tag brings with it a great deal of pressure.
As such, Mourinho wants to make sure that the Ivory Coast international is not affected in any way by the talk around his price tag and will continue to ease him into the team without rushing things.
Only a handful of minutes for Diomande
So far, Real Madrid have played four La Liga games this season and Diomande has not started even one of them.
Instead, Mourinho has opted to field Arda Guler on the right wing in three matches while Brahim Diaz started in the remaining one.
As for Diomande, he has come on as a substitute in each of the four games, but has only racked up a total of 83 minutes, without scoring or assisting a goal so far.
But, his limited minutes and slow integration are seemingly a part of Mourinho’s plans who is intent on not overexposing the teenage winger and put him under undue pressure due to the expectations that come with his price tag.
