Liverpool could bring in Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio on a free transfer this summer.
That’s according to a report from Football Transfers today. They claim that the Reds are looking at Asensio as a cheap replacement for the departing Roberto Firmino.
Interestingly, it’s claimed that assistant manager Pep Lijnders is a ‘big fan’ of the 27-year-old. Lijnders would reportedly be looking to bring Asensio in to play as part of a ‘dual No.10’ system at Anfield.
At this stage, the interest in the Spain international is said to be ‘tentative’ but ‘genuine.’
Perhaps as another indication of Lijnders growing influence at Liverpool, the Reds are also said to have eyes on ‘a number’ of Dutch players.
Asensio heading for Madrid exit
Asensio has been a name doing the rounds for the best part of a year in regards to a move to Liverpool.
This time last year, those links looked like simply being a case of the player trying to get himself a better contract in Madrid. But with just three months now left on his deal, that no longer looks to be the situation.
Instead, it would now appear that there’s a real chance of Asensio leaving this summer. Real manager Carlo Ancelotti insinuated as much only last month.
As far as free transfers go, it might be one worth looking at for Liverpool. Los Blancos were reportedly quoting as high as £42m to sign Asensio last summer. They obviously still rate him relatively highly. To get that kind of quality on a free doesn’t come around that often. Being left-footed, he could give Liverpool a useful option to lessen Mohamed Salah’s workload.
Of course, the lack of a transfer fee usually leads to big wages. This is something Liverpool would be very wary of – you don’t often see them bring in high-profile free signings.
In Asensio’s case though, things might just line up. As a cheap back-up option and one who could potentially drop into midfield too, he’s certainly worth taking a closer look at.