Unai Emery takes personal charge to try and convince 27-year-old Real Madrid star to join Aston Villa: Reports
Unai Emery is reportedly personally taking charge of bringing Real Madrid playmaker Marco Asensio to Aston Villa.
According to MARCA (h/t SportWitness), Asensio has rebuffed extension offers from Los Blancos and wants to leave the club as a free agent this summer. The 27-year-old is also courted by AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Asensio understands that he will have an important role to play under his compatriot at Villa Park. Emery led the Villans to a seventh-placed finish this season, which will see them play in the UEFA Europa Conference League for the first time in their history.
This is the first time they will be in Europe since the 2010-11 season when they played in the UEFA Europa League. It seems Emery, who managed Sevilla in Spain before taking up the role at Villa Park, is desperate to sign Asensio.
The three-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid would cost nothing in transfer fees. However, Villa will have to do well to convince him of their project ahead of AC Milan and PSG.
The two European giants will play in the UEFA Champions League next season. Moreover, the former RCD Mallorca player could play an important role at both Milan and PSG as well.
I Rossoneri are destined to lose Brahim Diaz this summer, who will return to Real Madrid at the end of his loan spell. PSG, meanwhile, could lose both Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. at the end of the campaign.
Even with the presence of the superstar duo, Les Parisiens lack depth up front, with Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike being Christophe Galtier's other two options in attack.
What Real Madrid boss has said about Marco Asensio's future
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti claims he has no idea about Marco Asensio's future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Alongside centre-back Nacho Fernandez, Asensio is also on a deal that expires this summer. Addressing the duo's future after his team's 2-1 league win against Sevilla on the final day of the league season (May 27), Ancelotti said, via 90min:
"I don’t know anything about Asensio, just like I don’t know about others like Nacho. It’ll all be clarified in the coming weeks. I would be sad if they left because they have been and are important players for us. Whatever they decide, we’ll plan accordingly."
Asensio has featured in 50 games across competitions this term but 32 of those appearances have come off the bench. He was left out of the matchday squad in his team's win against Los Nervionenses.