Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender’s injury unlikely to derail his expected summer exit – report
Pre-season is always a dangerous time for players to pick up injuries, especially when the club are looking for a way to move them on this summer.
Real Madrid find themselves in such a situation with regard to Raul Asencio, who has suffered a muscle injury and will be out for six weeks.
However, according to MARCA, Asencio’s summer departure from Los Blancos is still expected to move forward despite the setback.
The problem is considered minor and will not affect Real Madrid’s plans to sell or loan the academy graduate before the transfer window closes.
Injury news sets the cat among the pigeons
Real Madrid confirmed that Asencio has suffered an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his right leg.
While the club did not confirm how long he would be out for, it is expected to be a matter of weeks rather than days.
Despite this, it seems the club are not considering the injury serious enough to threaten their transfer plans this summer.
Asencio returned for pre-season hoping to convince Jose Mourinho that he deserved a place in the team, but he is not considered part of the coach’s plans for the coming campaign.
Los Merengues have already strengthened the defence and remain interested in making further changes, leaving the 23-year-old facing limited opportunities if he stays.
The defender has been reluctant to leave, yet the club’s position appears firm.
A loan could offer him regular football while preserving Real Madrid’s control, although a permanent sale would provide more immediate financial value.
Real Madrid cannot allow the situation to drift
Asencio did start Real Madrid’s pre-season game against Leganes, but not much can be read into Mourinho opting to use him in the absence of the other regulars.
Despite his talent, there is a feeling that Los Blancos need to have a much better central defensive unit to compete for trophies on all fronts.
A number of talented youngsters seem set to make way this summer in search of new opportunities.
Gonzalo Garcia has already secured a move that would see him join Premier League club Fulham, and Asencio could be next in line.
Ultimately, it all depends on the Spaniard’s recovery from injury, and this could be a transfer that happens closer to the end of the window, as Asencio nears full recovery.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid record signing labelled once in a generation star: ‘One in every ten years’
Real Madrid had an exceptional summer transfer window, with the club bringing in as many as seven players for Jose Mourinho.
No signing was bigger than Yan Diomande, though, with the Ivorian becoming Los Blancos’ most expensive acquisition of all time.
The 19-year-old arrives at Madrid carrying enormous expectations, and the people who have worked closely with the young winger believe he can live up to them.
As quoted by MARCA, Thiago Freitas, operations director at Roc Nation, used an extraordinary comparison when discussing Diomande.
Diomande compared to Halley’s Comet
Roc Nation identified Diomande while he was still at Leipzig, and Freitas explained just how quickly the agency became convinced by his potential.
“We are always looking at the stars, but while looking at the stars, sometimes a comet appears,” Freitas said.
“I can say that Yan, among the stars, is like a comet, a Halley that you find every eight or ten years. And when the possibility of working with him came to us, we did not think twice.”
The agency subsequently built a personalised structure around Diomande to help his development, although convincing Leipzig to part with such a valuable young player was never expected to be straightforward.
“A player of this level, every club wants to keep. We knew it would be a great challenge, a difficult task to make this transfer happen,” he explained.
Real Madrid changed the transfer race
Freitas also revealed that several major clubs wanted Diomande before Madrid eventually secured his signature.
“Many of the most important, richest and most qualified clubs in the world showed interest in Yan,” he said.
However, once Madrid entered the race, Roc Nation felt the dynamic changed completely.
“But I always say that for players, Real Madrid is the Pele of clubs,” Freitas explained.
“When Real Madrid’s interest appears, there is nothing more the other clubs can do.”
Freitas believes Diomande’s unpredictability makes him particularly suited to Madrid, where opponents regularly defend with the primary objective of containing their attacking talent.
“Yan is a player who can bring a lot of surprise to Madrid,” he said, highlighting his ability to break tactical structures and create unexpected situations.
Diomande is still a young player who needs time under Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician is easing him into action.
The teenager may not be starting for Madrid yet, but it will not be long before he gets the nod. Jose is said to be keen to avoid another Mastantuono situation with him.
One thing is clear, though: everyone who has worked with Madrid in some capacity thinks the sky is the limit for him, and it remains to be seen whether he hits those heights at the Bernabeu.
