Marco Asensio might be the most trending name among the Real Madrid fanbase at the moment, as he had won the most recent LaLiga game against Granada single-handedly with a screamer of a goal. His stocks have risen sky-high with that goal, and he looks to be motivated for the crucial month ahead. Even the club might be happy to see him be a decisive player, but they can’t be too happy because they have a situation to solve.
Asensio’s Real Madrid contract, which was last renewed in 2017, will be expiring in the summer of 2023. If we were in 2017, a renewal in the future might look like an easy decision to take. But things have changed, and a lot has happened in these five years. Now there is a need for the club and Asensio to decide by this summer, and not wait until he enters the final year of his contract at Real Madrid.
In November 2021, Tomas Gonzalez-Martin of ABC had reported that Real Madrid is contemplating a possible renewal for the former Mallorca man. But there hasn’t been any update from a reliable source since then, except for a rumour from AS that PSG might try to lure Asensio by offering him a better contract.
There is still no clarity at the moment, but there is time for both parties to make a decision that is in the best interest of both of them. In the meanwhile, let us have a look at the pros and cons of a possible contract renewal, starting with a major con.
Con 1 – Asensio won’t be a starter for the club, while he is approaching his prime
Asensio has turned 26 in January. For fans who see Asensio as a player with 311 appearances in club football, this might look like a normal thing. But for Madridistas, who saw Asensio as a potential superstar in 2017 and are still waiting to see him as the star that he was destined to become, it is a big deal. A career-threatening injury did halt his progress, but it doesn’t change the fact that Asensio will be entering his prime, but still hasn’t been able to become a bigger player for Real Madrid.
If Asensio renews with Real Madrid, he can continue playing at his dream club, but his chances of becoming a star might reduce further, due to this decision. He is currently contesting for the right-wing position along with Rodrygo but hasn’t been able to take complete control of the position. Next year, when a superstar like Kylian Mbappe arrives at the club, his chances of becoming a permanent starter for Real Madrid will diminish. And he might not have a chance to start from the left as well, with Vinicius taking complete control of the left flank.
Real Madrid shall be happy to have a player like Asensio as a utility player, something we shall discuss in the next slide. But will Asensio be happy with a role of a utility player, that too when he is about to enter his prime? He can be a star player at some other player, but can he become a star at Real Madrid if players like Mbappe and Haaland arrive at Real Madrid?
Well, he hasn’t renewed his contract yet, but these are factors he should consider, before extending his stay at the club. If he decides not to renew, it would be better if he conveys the decision early, so that the club won’t lose a chance to cash in on him.
Even the club should keep this point in mind before offering a renewal because the wages should be offered per his role.
Pro 1 – Asensio is one of a kind, and he can prove to be useful in the future as a versatile utility player
From the next season, Asensio’s chances of becoming a starter for the club might reduce, but Real Madrid would be happy to have a player like him available on the bench. After all, Asensio is a talented player and he is one of a kind.
He has often proved to be a super-sub for the club, especially under Zidane. This season he has been trying to establish himself as a starter, and seven of his 8 goals have come as a starter. It is a positive sign, but over the years he has always impressed as a super-sub, chipping in with goals that kill the contests, or even with dangerous crosses from the wide areas. He has always been that player with a habit of taking dangerous shots from range, when offered a little space, and has also been a link-up player on the flanks.
But if there’s one trait of Asensio that would please the club a lot, it is his versatility. In Asensio, you have a player who could start in any position in the frontline. And he has also proved himself as a midfielder in some games under Carlo Ancelotti this season, and also went on to score a hat-trick against his former club Mallorca while starting as an attack-minded midfielder in a 4-3-3.
To have such a good player on the bench would be a blessing for any club.
Con 2 – Asensio hasn’t worked on his weaknesses yet
Some players don’t need to prove anything to anybody to ask for a contract extension, like Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. But some players do need to prove a point to their owners, especially if those players haven’t had the best of the times. Lucas Vazquez proved his worth as a right-back and proved his versatility, which warranted a contract extension from the club. But has Asensio proven his point that he has overcome his weaknesses? I don’t think so.
One of the main problems with Asensio that has hampered his career at Real Madrid and has stopped him from becoming a star is a problem that is shared by his best friend at Real Madrid, Isco as well. It is his consistency.
On his day, Asensio plays like a world-class player and proves to be decisive, as he did against Granada. But most of the time he hasn’t been able to continue that form in his next game. He hasn’t been able to put in consistent performances that can make a manager guarantee him an extended run in his position.
Against Granada, he played like a responsible man, and as a senior who is in his sixth season at Real Madrid. But he hasn’t been able to take up responsibility in most of his games at Real Madrid, He has failed to show that intent on the pitch regularly. Only time will tell if he can ever work on these weaknesses of his game, and leave behind his complacent attitude.
If the club is happy with Asensio’s current gameplay and mentality, then they can happily offer him an extension. But at the same time, they shouldn’t be complaining in the future if Asensio’s performances are mediocre. Because they were happy with the situation in the first place.
Pro 2 – Real Madrid can resume their fight to regain their dominance in the Spanish National team
Ever since Luis Enrique has been appointed as Spain’s manager, Real Madrid’s Spanish players have found it difficult to get into the national team. The former Barcelona manager has preferred players who suit his philosophy and style of play, and even Real Madrid’s Spaniards haven’t been able to make a strong case for themselves to get back into the Spanish team. Even Asensio has lost his spot under ‘Lucho’.
But if Real Madrid are going to keep hold of a talented Spaniard in Asensio, then they can resume their fight to improve the number of Real Madrid players in La Roja. There is a World Cup at the end of this year, and Los Blancos, being the best Spanish club can’t afford to have only Dani Carvajal in the Spanish squad.
As I’ve mentioned, Asensio hasn’t played a lot of international football in recent months, but he has the talent to get back into the team. He has built a good reputation with La Roja, and all he needs is to get back to his best, to wear the red kit again. There have been murmurs regarding a supposed rift with Enrique, but Spain doesn’t have a lot of quality attackers and it won’t be a very difficult task for Asensio to regain his spot.
Over the years a lot of unfair criticism has been aimed at Asensio, about how he has survived at Real Madrid just because of his nationality. But this time, Asensio’s nationality might just be a reason for the club to renew him. Not to forget that he is a homegrown player, and Real Madrid needs eight homegrown players to register for the UEFA Champions League.
3. It might block the path to some other Real Madrid youngsters
Everyone knows about Real Madrid’s youth recruitment policy, and the club has indeed signed a lot of talented youngsters as a part of that policy. Even Marco Asensio is a part of that policy, as he was signed by the Merengues for a sum of 3.5 million euros, at the age of 18.
Youngsters like Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, and Takefusa Kubo play in the same positions as Asensio, and Brahim and Kubo in particular have been waiting for a long time to get a chance with the first team. Marco Asensio’s possible renewal might keep a full stop to their dream of playing for Real Madrid, because the club is expected to make signings like Mbappe and Haaland in the coming months, and it makes things worse for them.
So Asensio’s renewal decision might not just be a question of renewing him or not, but also a question of choosing between Asensio and other youngsters. Personally, I believe that a player like Brahim Diaz can offer a lot more than Asensio, but it is to be seen if the club thinks so. But one thing is for sure, the club and Asensio have a huge decision to make, and they have to consider a lot of factors, before coming to a conclusion.