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Real Madrid star Marco Asensio's agents are reportedly set to arrive in London this week amid interest from Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Asensio, 27, has fallen down in the pecking order at Los Blancos since last season. After being used as an utility option during his team's double-winning campaign, he has featured in just 883 minutes of first-team action in the ongoing 2022-23 season. He has started just seven games out of his 25 appearances across all competitions so far.
A left-footed technical operator blessed with flair and shooting, Asensio is in the final six months of his contract. He failed to seal a permanent transfer away from the Santiago Bernabeu last summer despite being offered to the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan and AS Roma, according to Mundo Deportivo last August.
According to Mirror, Asensio's representatives are set to land in London later this week to hold talks with Arsenal and also other Premier League outfits. The RCD Mallorca academy graduate is believed to be aiming to secure a four-year contract and a wage higher than his current salary at Real Madrid, which is reportedly around £120,000-per-week.
However, Asensio's wage demands are likely to be a road-block for the Gunners as they have just six players earning over £110,000-a-week.
Should the 35-cap Spain international seal a Bosman move to Arsenal, he would provide elite competition to Bukayo Saka on the right flank. He could also pop up as a backup to club captain Martin Odegaard.
Overall, the three-time UEFA Champions League winner has scored 53 goals and contributed 29 assists in 260 appearances for Real Madrid.
Arsenal legend Ray Parlour names ex-Real Madrid midfielder as his perfect teammate
In an interview with Lord Ping, Gunners great Ray Parlour was queried about his ideal teammate from the current crop of players. He replied:
"There are just so many good players to choose from. You could argue [Bukayo] Saka on the right side has been brilliant, but one player that has really stepped up, who is probably a bargain considering how much they bought him for, is Martin Odegaard."
Sharing his thoughts on the Norwegian playmaker, Parlour added:
"30 million pounds from Real Madrid is an absolute steal! If I was a ball-winning player in midfield, I would always look out to see Odegaard make something happen. I think he's been a joy to watch this season and he's a really good lad as well. I've met him on a few occasions and he's a down-to-earth and a really good guy."
