Real Madrid News
Real Madrid exiting winger wanted more money and more minutes at club – report
Real Madrid confirmed Marco Asensio’s departure in an official statement yesterday. The Spanish winger leaves Santiago Bernabeu after eight years at the club with three UEFA Champions League titles and three La Liga trophies to his name.
The official announcement marks the end of a long-drawn renewal saga for Real Madrid that began last summer. At that time, the transaction did not go through because of a difference of opinion over the financial terms between Real Madrid and the player.
According to reports from Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Madrid Xtra), a similar hurdle triggered the player’s exit from the Merengues this time. Asensio wanted a higher salary on his new contract than Real Madrid offered, and the club refused to entertain his demand.
His sporting situation, needless to say, was the second factor that put the final nail in the coffin. The Spaniard wanted assured playing time and a starting role if he stayed, something Carlo Ancelotti could not guarantee.
The 27-year-old played no small part in Real Madrid’s 2022/23 season, scoring nine goals and providing six assists in 30 La Liga appearances. Further, he averaged 1.4 key passes per game and created nine big chances in that duration.
Though he started just 15 times in La Liga, Asensio averaged 47 minutes per game across his 30 appearances. His sporting situation was not half as bad as he claimed, and it is thus possible that a discrepancy over the financial terms indeed broke the talks down.
The 27-year-old is said to be nearing a move to Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent this summer where he will link up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. The Parisians assure him of a starting role and possibly a larger paycheck than Real Madrid.
Sunday night’s clash against Athletic Club de Bilbao will be Asensio’s final appearance in the white colours. It remains to be seen if Carlo Ancelotti awards him a start on his special night.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
