Real Madrid fans were treated to a fantastic game of football against Granada after the long international break. Los Blancos hammered four past Roberto Moreno’s side on away soil and currently top the La Liga table with a game in hand.
The midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos dictated the game throughout the course as all the four goals were set up by them. Vinicius Jr was sublime as well, as his pace and skill on the ball tormented and infuriated Granada’s defence, which eventually lead to Monchu’s red card for a wild challenge.
While the midfield trio and Vinicius Jr grabbed the headlines post-game, the icing on the cake was Marco Asensio’s performance. In hindsight, this was the first time in a very long period that fans were treated to a vintage Asensio masterclass.
Asensio was destined for greatness after he showed all the signs of being a world-class player in his debut season with Real Madrid. He scored a goal in all his debuts across various competitions in the 2016/17 season. He even scored against the biggest oppositions including the likes of Sevilla (UEFA Super Cup final), Bayern Munich and Juventus ( UCL final), all in his first season.
The 25-year-old had the football world at his feet but an ACL injury seemed to have taken a yard of pace out of his legs that has turned out to be quite detrimental to his career now. The same clinical winger was non-existent last season under Zinedine Zidane and was one of the most ineffective players in the team.
Given how poor he was last season, everything pointed towards a summer exit. However, Carlo Ancelotti reassured the left-footed sharpshooter that he has an important role in his set-up. So far, Marco Asensio has started five out of the 11 games he has played in La Liga and has scored four goals in the process.
While the stats might show that Asensio has been reborn under Ancelotti- by almost outscoring his previous season goal tally (5 goals in 35 games), it’s far from the truth that Asensio is back to his best.
Until now, the 25-year-old has only performed admirably against RCD Mallorca and Granada. The rest of his performances have been average and have nothing to write home about.
Real Madrid are reportedly interested in renewing terms with Marco Asensio. This could mainly be because Carlo Ancelotti has immense faith in the 25-year-old. The Italian even considers Asensio to be a possible starter in the coming games after a fine performance against Granada.
While I’m all in for Marco Asensio to be a regular starter this season, I still believe it would be an unwise decision to renew and extend his contract. Let’s get to that now by addressing three major points on why it would be a bad call.
MARCO ASENSIO DOES NOT HAVE A FUTURE AT REAL MADRID
Real Madrid are heading towards a new generation in the summer transfer window of 2022. The club will look to finalise Kylian Mbappe’s pre-agreement in January for a move at the end of the season and are reportedly in the driving seat to land Erling Haaland next year as well.
The possible acquisitions of Haaland and Mbappe would mark the beginning of a new era and generation at the club. Real Madrid would possibly have two of the biggest players in the world in Haaland and Mbappe while also having the likes of Vinicius and Rodyrgo to lead the frontline.
In other words, there would be no place for players like Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, and Marco Asensio at Real Madrid and they would be better off elsewhere next season. There is no denying that Asensio has a lot of potential but he would not receive a lot of minutes because of Kylian Mbappe’s (possible) arrival.
In a hypothetical situation, if Asensio wanted to play out on the left-wing next season, he would be below Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr in the pecking order. If he wanted to go out on the right-wing, he would be below Vini or Rodrygo and Lucas Vazquez as well, depending on where the manager plays the supposed starting wingers.
There’s no place for Asensio in the starting eleven and he would most likely receive a handful of minutes in the Copa del Rey which would not be enough for a player of his calibre.
Ultimately, Marco Asensio does not fit the description to be part of Real Madrid’s new generation starting from next season. The 25-year-old would be better off elsewhere and his departure would work in favour of the club as well. With that being said, let’s have a look at another reason why extending terms with Marco Asensio would not be a good idea.
ON WHAT BASIS DOES MARCO ASENSIO DESERVE A CONTRACT EXTENSION?
At a club like Real Madrid, every player needs to prove that they are worth a contract extension. We witnessed that last season when Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez fought until the very last minute for their extensions.
Furthermore, to prove my point, Sergio Ramos, the greatest centre-back in the club’s history, was not warranted a two-year contract because of his injuries. Despite being the best defender in the modern game, Ramos was not given the contract he desired and ultimately left the club as a free agent.
In that case, what has Marco Asensio exactly done to be awarded a contract extension? The 25-year-old is tied down until the summer of 2023 but the club seems to be keen on extending his stay further.
For the last three or four years, Asensio has been more or less invisible for Real Madrid. He’s been extremely inconsistent with his performances and was one of the most disappointing players last season.
Even this term, he’s not done anything great yet. While his performance against Granda was impressive, there was nothing to write home about his performances against Rayo Vallenco, Elche, Osasuna and Villarreal in La Liga.
Having an impact in a one-off game is not enough to be warranted an extension at Real Madrid. If we look at his performances from last season in La Liga.
Marco Asensio’s averaged 0.24 goals and 0.10 assists per 90 minutes in the league. While he did not have much of an impact on the scoreline, Asensio did not even threaten opposition defences by dribbling or creating chances. He would average only 1.78 key passes per game along with 1 successful dribble. All stats from FBref.
Even this season, Asensio averages 1.67 key passes, 0 through balls, 0.50 goal creation actions and 1.33 successful dribbles per 90. These statistics simply prove that he’s far from being anything close to exceptional. He’s still quite inconsistent and needs to do a lot more to prove that he deserves that proposed contract extension.
MARCO ASENSIO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP BUT NOT AT REAL MADRID
I still hold Marco Asensio in high regard and watching him perform against Granada was heartwarming, to say the least. Asensio is undoubtedly a player with a lot of potential at the age of 25 but he needs more minutes to find his rhythm and work his way back to the top.
That is not possible at Real Madrid. A club of Los Blancos’ stature waits for no one, even if you are Marco Asensio. The 25-year-old would be better off plying his trade elsewhere next season at a club where he would receive more minutes and possibly be a regular starter.
We’ve all seen his quality in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons and possibly Asensio could bring that same level of impact back in his game if he plays more frequently. If he continues at Real Madrid, it’s unlikely that he would be able to revitalise himself due to the immense competition in the frontline.
Instead, a transfer next summer would be the best possible option for both the player and the club. Real Madrid would receive a decent transfer fee for Marco Asensio and the 25-year-old could possibly make an attempt at turning a new leaf in his career at a new club.
His market value had dipped after his knee injury, but if he performs well this term under Ancelotti, Real Madrid could end up receiving a decent transfer fee from his sale. His sale could be put to good use in getting Erling Haaland or any other top transfer target. Whilst, Marco Asensio would leave the club after having won almost every possible collective trophy there is.
The left-footed winger was wanted by multiple clubs last summer before Carlo Ancelotti persuaded him into staying. Asensio is now expected to receive more starts after his performance against Granada and if he seizes the upcoming opportunities then that would attract more suitors if he is to be sold later on.