Liverpool are continuing their pursuit of Real Madrid ace Marco Asensio and are ready to make a £158m bid, according to reports in Spain. Jürgen Klopp is said to be a huge fan of Asensio and sees him as a replacement for Philippe Coutinho.
It has been rumored that Real Madrid are willing to sell the youngster and use the funds to buy Neymar from PSG.
But how well do you know the 21 year old Spanish forward? Here are some facts to help you.
1. His Mother Died When He Was 16
Marco was born in Mallorca and worked his way up the ladder with confidence and step-by-step. He always was the quiet guy in the locker room; in fact, after scoring twice against Valencia CF in 2017 and delivering another riotous performance, he was actually surprised to be chosen by the press officer to talk the the press post-game. He didn’t think his match had been that good.
Asensio’s career made a sudden halt when he was sixteen, when his mother – hugely important throughout his life both personally and professionally – passed away. The blow was enormous, but the teenager learnt how to overcome grief and develop that uncanny maturity and calmness that has paid-off later on, coping with the huge pressure that comes with playing for Real with a surprising unawareness and never losing his cool.
2. He would Have Played for Bitter Rivals Barcelona
The attacker is now living any kid’s dream, but things could’ve turned out differently. Nobody doubts he would have performed phenomenally at any other big side, but it was FC Barcelona who became so close to adding him to their squad a few years ago. It was summer 2014 and Barça had already agreed the fee (€4.5 million) with Real Mallorca. However, the deal fell through due to differences in the way the money was to be paid: Mallorca wanted everything upfront, Barça’s representatives wanted to get to that figure with bonuses.
Barça didn’t cave in. The sum was ridiculously low for such a team, but they totally blew it. Six months later, Real Madrid secured Asensio in the winter market. Possibly one of the biggest turning points in recent history.
Now a Madridista, Asensio’s first steps in the squad weren’t easy. He had his debut vs Tottenham in a friendly played in August 2015, but deep down coaches believed he was still too young to deliver the goods. Therefore, he got sent to RCD Espanyol on the 2015-2016 season, the one where Rafa Benítez started on the bench and was replaced by Zinedine Zidane when Christmas came.
3. He Speaks Four Languuages
In Barcelona and being only 19, Asensio stepped up his game: he made 37 appearances, scored four goals and added 15 assists. Overall, very impressive numbers for a freshman in such a demanding competition. Off the pitch, his skills improved as well: he was quite the fluent speaker in four languages when he was only 19, as his mother had Dutch family and he was a quick learner.
4. Zidan was His Childhood Hero
His excellent first season in Primera granted him a large number of recognitions, including a Golden Boy 2016 nomination. But his main goal and big prize had been conquered: he would become a full member of the first Real Madrid squad in summer 2016, now under Zidane’s command. The same Zidane who Marco Asensio has stated numerous times that was his childhood hero and favourite player (though actually his name, Marco, is a shout-out from his parents to Marco Van Basten, the amazing Dutch striker they revered).
5. He has Won three Champions League titles at 21.
Of course we all know this but most of us take it for granted because it is Real Madrid but just a reminder that Zlatan Ibrahimovic doesent have a Champions League Medal.
Under Zidane’s wing, Asensio was a slow-burn midfielder, adding minutes gradually in the first months of the season. He learned to watch his peers, think quickly and have patience. Most of his thirst to have a shot to play was quenched when he was called up by the national team, where he has been one of the top choices for all the managers in the under-17, under-19 and under-21 squads. His debut with the Spanish national team arrived on September 5th 2016. That move definitely stopped the chance of him playing someday with the Dutch national team (they were very interested in luring him in).
His build-up throughout the 2016-2017 season was spectacular, possibly one of the most impactful players over the last decade. Also, the fact that 90% of his goals were absolutely beautiful strikes didn’t do him any harm. Asensio became Real Madrid’s ‘golazo’ specialist.