Real Madrid defender no longer opposed to summer departure as agent explores offers | OneFootball

Raul Asencio is no longer completely closing the door on a Real Madrid exit this summer, with fresh reports suggesting the defender’s future has become one of the club’s priorities before any further moves in the transfer market.

Although Asencio has previously been expected to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu, the situation appears to have evolved significantly. 

As such, according to Ramon Alvarez de Mon, speaking on Ruben Martin’s YouTube channel, Asencio’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has started exploring opportunities that would at least match the defender’s current salary, indicating that a departure is no longer being completely ruled out.

Real Madrid want clarity on Asencio’s future

Real Madrid currently have five recognised central defenders in the first-team squad, and the club is determined to reduce that number before authorising another signing.

Raul Asencio is open to leaving Real Madrid this summer. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

That development has made Asencio’s future a central issue in Real Madrid’s summer planning.

The club believes that creating space in the squad must come before pursuing another centre-back and because of that, Asencio’s situation has effectively become the key that could unlock Real Madrid’s next move in the transfer market.

On that note, the reported interest in defenders such as Alessandro Bastoni remains dependent on first resolving the Spanish defender’s future.

Mourinho prefers a different approach

While the club’s executives have established one transfer strategy, Mourinho is understood to favour a different sequence of events.

Asencio’s agent is already exploring options in the market. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

According to the report, the Portuguese coach would prefer Real Madrid to sign a new centre-back before sanctioning Asencio’s departure.

He reasons that if another defender arrives first, competition for places would immediately increase, giving Mourinho stronger grounds to explain to Asencio that his route into the starting XI has become more difficult. 

That scenario, in the manager’s view, could make it easier to convince the young defender to consider a move elsewhere.

For now, no final decision has been made, but Asencio’s future appears increasingly important to Real Madrid’s transfer defensive rebuild this summer.