Arsenal could reportedly lodge a late attempt to sign Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio this summer, according to reports in Spain.
The Spain international has struggled for game time and is currently playing second fiddle to the likes of Gareth Bale and Isco.
According to Diarol Gol h/t Joe.co.uk, the 21-year-old could make a surprise switch from the Bernabeu, should Zinedine Zidane fail to assure him of regular playing time.
Asensio currently has a £72m release clause, and talks over an extension are yet to proceed with the player keen on pursuing regular first-team football ahead of next year’s World Cup.
The attacker scored two sublime goals in the 5-2 Super Cup final triumph over Barcelona earlier this week, and this has increased his reputation further among Europe’s elite.
As per Diario Gol, the Gunners could trigger the clause in the player’s contract, should they receive the signal that Asensio is prepared to leave the European champions.
It further claims that the Spanish club are stunned by the Gunners interest and are planning emergency talks with the attacker over a new deal.
Both Gareth Bale and Isco have been preferred out wide in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence through suspension, and Asensio is worried that he may not get regular game time – with Bale, in particular, looking fit following an injury-plagued 2016/17 season.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger recently admitted that the club have all but ended the pursuit of Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, but he refused to rule out another potential signing before next week’s transfer deadline.
The Gunners currently have 28 players in their squad which is three more than the Premier League limit, and the manager is focused on offloading few players first before dipping late into the transfer market.
Arsenal broke their transfer record whilst signing Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for an initial £46m last month but there has not been any inward transfer activity since then.
