Marco Asensio signs contract extension with Real Madrid with huge buyout clause increase
By Ben Sundock
After signing from Real Mallorca in December of 2014, and spending a season on loan with Espanyol, Real Madrid are determined to keep Marco Asensio in a white jersey for the foreseeable future. Earlier this week, president Florentino Perez decided to extend Asensio’s contract with the team and increase the buyout clause. Ben Sundock has more.
Despite not playing as much as many fans would’ve wanted, the 2016/2017 was truly a breakout year for the 21-year-old Spaniard, Marco Asensio. Bursting onto the scene in his first competitive match with the club back in August against Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup, Asensio proved to be a vital substitute in Zinedine Zidane’s squad, making 12 appearances off the bench in La Liga play, and 7 appearances off the bench in the Champions League campaign.
In just over 1,300 minutes of total playing time through the league and Champions League, Asensio scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists.
Nearly everyone who watched Real play this season took immediate note of the exceptional foot skills and high energy play from Asensio, who scored a great goal in that debut match against Sevilla, and provided crucial goals in wins over Bayern Munich and in the UCL Final against Juventus.
Despite being under contract with Los Blancos through 2022, President Perez felt the pressure of clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal breathing down his neck trying to acquire the talented attacking midfielder.
The new contract Asensio is set to sign in the coming days should ward off any potential bids from those big European clubs. Asensio’s new contract with Real Madrid, although only adding one more year to the previous deal, includes a huge buyout clause that no team is likely to pay. The new buyout clause, according to Marca is a stunning €350 million.
Liverpool’s recent offer for Asensio was a reported €50 million, which Real were quick to turn down.
This new deal which will keep Asensio in Madrid for the next six years shows the dedication Los Blancos have to the young Spaniard, and the trust that Zidane has in Asensio growing into a key piece in the starting XI very soon.
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I, like many others, was incredibly impressed with Asensio’s mature nature on the pitch, playing in several high-pressure matches and making key contributions when given the opportunity to play. Had it not been for a breakout season for Isco, Marco could’ve started in more than 11 matches in the league.
Now with a full season at Real under his belt, plus receiving lots of playing time with the Spanish national team, Asensio will play a crucial role in the 2017/2018 squad that is showing a definite shift towards featuring younger players.
Zidane gave a slight glimpse into how important Asensio is to the team by choosing him over star James Rodriguez in the squad for the Champions League Final earlier this month.
Asensio is still looking to get better and win more with the club, saying in an interview,”It seems easy, but to win three Champions Leagues in four years is incredible. This team has an incredible generation [of players] full of ambition. We can’t lose that hunger to win. That’s the key.”
Watch out for Marco Asensio in international play this summer with the Spain U21 team and in the competitive play for Real Madrid in the late summer.