Marco Asensio reveals why he didn’t leave Real Madrid

Marco Asensio was expected to develop into a superstar at Real Madrid after his exciting performances when he first broke into the first-team picture at the club. But since then, things have not gone as most fans would have expected or hoped for. The Spaniard is barely an impact substitute these days, if that.

Asensio is in the final year of his contract at Real Madrid and it very much feels like his last chapter with the club. It is expected that he will either depart in the upcoming January transfer window for a cut-price fee or next summer, as a free agent.

Asensio was heavily linked with a Real Madrid exit this summer as well, especially late in the window, when clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool were being linked with him. But surprisingly, he ended up staying on. It looks like Carlo Ancelotti might have played a part in that.

As reported by El Partidazo de COPE, Asensio said regarding the matter:

"“It is not a decision that depends on me. You have to talk to the club, the coach… At no time did I really think about being able to leave because of the project and the coach’s confidence. With Ancelotti I have no problem.”"

Asensio reveals why he did not leave Real Madrid in the summer

It is safe to say that Ancelotti still feels that Asensio has a role to play in this team even though he might not be a regular starter for the club.

He showed that he can be very effective as an impact sub when he came on against RB Leipzig in the Champions League in a very tight game and ended up scoring, helping Real Madrid to a 2-0 win on that occasion. And if he can continue to contribute in that manner, then he can have an impact on the team this season, similar to the one that he had last time around.

The long-term future of Asensio at Real Madrid is still up in the air though and it feels unlikely that he would extend his stay beyond this season.