It is not often when Barcelona fans give way to concern after seeing a certain young player join Real Madrid. In most cases, according to them, they already have a better talent in their academy. However, when Marco Asensio’s signature was confirmed by the Blancos, there were many Cules that were disappointed with the news.
And it was understandable. He took the Segunda division by storm with his emphatic displays. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona were interested in acquiring his signature, but the Blancos won the race in the end.
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Right now, coming off the back of an outstanding year of competitive football in La Liga with Espanyol, the 20-year-old has impressed Zinedine Zidane with his displays in the pre-season friendlies as he looks set to stay at Real Madrid and enjoy his first ever season with the club.
According to the Real Madrid manager, anything could happen until the last day of the window, leading some to believe that Asensio could yet be shelled out for another season on loan.
However, he should stay.
The Risks
Keeping a budding talent in a team filled with superstars is always a risk. The Blancos have a plethora of fantastic midfielders in their ranks which include the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, James Rodriguez and Isco Alarcon.
Therefore, having another creative player in the team would just make it overcrowded. This could—and perhaps will—result in lesser minutes for Asensio compared to what he would have got had he gone to some other club on loan.
Versatility
However, Asensio’s versatility means that he could be the first-choice substitute for a number of positions ranging from replacing Luka Modric/Toni Kroos in central midfield to Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale on the wings.
His adaptability could be the reason that he gets ample amount of minutes at the club. If he was only versatile and not really amazing in the positions he could play, it wouldn’t have worked. However, he is not your usual Joker.
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Asensio has a skillset that many would envy. He might not have James’ powerful left-foot or Isco’s discoing ability, but in some ways, he is an amalgam of the two.
While he possesses the Colombian’s magnificence, his ball control and ability to get out of a crowded area is reminiscent to that of the former Malaga starlet. However, he has a better head on his shoulder which allows him to have superior play-linking abilities.
The linker
The pre-season friendlies have been a perfect indication of this. Zidane predominantly used him on the left and one could see how most of Real’s attacks were from that zone. Indeed, Marcelo enjoyed his best pre-season with Real Madrid this term.
When Marcelo plays behind Cristiano Ronaldo, it brings out the best of the latter. However, when the Brazilian has Asensio ahead of him, it brings out the beast from the left-back.
Marco Asensio is that type of a player who brings the best out of his team-mates while also possessing the ability to have a direct say on the game. His 10 assists and 4 goals for Espanyol last season works as a testament to that fact.
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At Real Madrid, he could be the player Madridistas wished Mateo Kovacic was—Luka Modric’s successor—or Cristiano Ronaldo’s distinct replacement on the left-wing.
He might not yet be as experienced as Isco and James. However, in his own way, he is already better than the two of them simply because of his adaptability. And it is for this reason that Zinedine Zidane should keep him.
