Mikel Arteta will reportedly ask the Arsenal board to sign Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio in the January transfer window, with the Basque manager eyeing an audacious move for the Spanish international.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the north London side will look to sign Asensio ‘at Arteta’s request’, with the Premier League manager seemingly a big fan of the La Liga superstar who now looks set to leave Madrid in 2023, with the winger’s contract due to expire in the summer.
A 34-cap international with Spain, Asensio has hardly featured for Carlo Ancelotti since the Italian manager’s return to Madrid last year, with the 26-year-old making 15 appearances in all competitions this campaign, the majority of which have come from the substitutes bench.
And now, Arsenal are interested in signing Asensio, with Mundo Deportivo stating that AC Milan and Juventus are also chasing the Mallorca-born phenom, with a cheap January exit from Los Blancos seemingly on the cards for the three-time La Liga champion.
Yet Arteta asking for Asensio could change things greatly in the race to sign the Madrid forward. In the last few windows, the Arsenal manager has been very meticulous with who has joined and who has left the north London club. And from the outside looking in, there seems to be little need for a player like the 26-year-old.
Indeed, Asensio is a superstar signing that Arsenal have avoided making under Arteta. And whilst the Spanish international is an impressive talent, it’s hard to imagine how the attacking playmaker gets in the regular starting XI over the likes of Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal chasing Asensio makes little sense given Arteta’s project
Reports linking Arsenal to Asensio have intensified in recent days, and whilst there could be some truth in the matter, it makes little sense as to why Arteta would want to sign the Spanish winger given how promising the Gunners’ current project is presently playing out.
As we know, Arsenal sit top of the Premier League and have a genuine shot of doing something incredible if Arteta makes the right moves in January. And for many supporters, Asensio simply doesn’t fit this profile even with the winger’s incredible CV during his time with Madrid.
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