Real Madrid News
Real Madrid winger ‘tempted’ by Aston Villa offer as he decides to leave club
The offices of Real Madrid have been patiently waiting for replies from Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos, and Nacho Fernandez over the renewal proposals presented to them. With every passing day, however, the trio move one step further away from staying at Santiago Bernabeu.
The midfielder has been known to be contemplating a move away from the club for a long time now. Ceballos has been in open negotiations with several European clubs for weeks now and a departure appears imminent.
According to reports from MARCA, Marco Asensio is treading the same path.
In a meeting earlier today between Jose Angel Sanchez and the winger’s entourage, it became clear that the Spaniard is closer to leaving than staying. A final decision is expected in the next week.
A few weeks ago, the forward’s continuity at the club appeared secure, given his newfound resurgence under Carlo Ancelotti. Yet, Asensio’s biggest hurdle around an extension has always been the lack of a starting role, and the same reason could form the basis of his exit.
The report further adds that one of the primary reasons behind the forward’s vacillation over signing a new deal is the offer from Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side have put forth a proposal that tempts the player and entices him to take a step towards a move to England.
Despite not being a regular starter this season, the 27-year-old has made a serious impact on Real Madrid’s run across all competitions.
In 30 league appearances, he has scored nine goals and provided six assists so far this term. Further, he averages 1.4 key passes per game and has created nine big chances.
Los Blancos may be forced to turn to the transfer market in search of a new winger if Asensio confirms his decision to leave next week. After all, Carlo Ancelotti will face a dire shortage of forward options on the bench if the Spanish international were to depart.
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
