Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Real Madrid news: Marco Asensio makes admission over Liverpool transfer rumours
REAL MADRID star Marco Asensio insists he never considered leaving the club despite links to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
Real Madrid: Marco Asensio scores incredible training goal
The Spain international was linked with a big-money move to Merseyside by regular reports in his homeland.
Asensio had teased that his future at the Bernabeu was potentially uncertain back in June, declaring: “Liverpool? When the World Cup is over, we’ll talk about that sort of thing.”
Yet no move for the 22-year-old followed from Liverpool after the tournament despite rumours of a possible £158million offer.
Those links followed the collapse of Liverpool’s move for Lyon captain Nabil Fekir as they sought a replacement for Philippe Coutinho, who joined Barcelona for £142m back in January.
That followed claims back in May from the player’s agent, Horacio Gaggioli, that Real had turned down two offers “of up to €150m (£133.6m)” for Asensio - who he declared “has an extraordinary future.”
Asensio also sparked further rumours when he said in an interview with GQ last month: “My first option is always to triumph at Real Madrid. After that, you never know what can happen.”
But after producing a sublime performance for Spain in their 6-0 Nations League demolition of Croatia in Elche last night, Asensio has commented on the speculation over his future a few months ago.
After contributing four assists and a goal - his first at international level - in his country’s emphatic triumph over the World Cup runners-up, Asensio said on his Real Madrid future: “I’ve never had the intention to go anywhere.”
The play-maker only signed a six-year contract a year ago with the buy-out clause inserted into the deal apparently standing at a huge £442million.
It had been suggested that Asensio could move on having failed to secure a consistent starting role under Zinedine Zidane despite his talents.
He started just 30 La Liga matches in two full seasons under the Frenchman - less starts than he made in a single year on loan at Espanyol in 2015-16.
But with Cristiano Ronaldo having joined Juventus in the summer, Julen Lopetegui has started Asensio in all three of Real’s La Liga matches this season with the youngster providing one assist so far.
On his role under Madrid’s new boss, Asensio added - as quoted by AS: “This is my third season, in this one I think I have continuity and more prominence, and I'm seeing the performance I'm doing."
Asensio - a No 10 also capable of playing out wide - has contributed 21 goals and 15 assists in his 95 appearances for Madrid so far, including a goal in the 2016-17 Champions League final win over Juventus.
He will hope to increase those numbers this season with the greater minutes being offered to him by Lopetegui having assumed a left-wing position so far this term.
Madrid return to action with a trip to Athletic Bilbao this Saturday (7.45pm) having won all of their first three top-flight matches, scoring four goals in both of their last two outings.