Barcelona could be about to sign a Real Madrid player for the first time in 27 years as they are holding talks with Marco Asensio, according to reports in Spain.
The Catalans have always had a fierce rivalry with Los Blancos, which means there have rarely been transfers been the two clubs. Luis Figo's infamous move from Camp Nou to the Santiago Bernabeu back in 2000 caused huge headlines and served to highlight the hatred that exists between the Spanish giants.
Asensio, 27, could be about to go the other way as he weighs up his next move with his contract winding down. The player's pay demands are beyond what Real Madrid want to offer, which is likely to lead to his exit from the Bernabeu. The Spaniard has also teamed up with super-agent Jorge Mendes.
Mendes has strong links with Barcelona and Spanish outlet SPORT claims the two parties have held talks over signing Asensio on a free in the summer. That would make Asensio the first Real Madrid player to move to Camp Nou since Luis Enrique did so in 1996.
Asensio recently spoke about his next move and underlined his desire to remain in the Spanish capital, but confessed it wasn't all down to him. He told Marca : “Things are being discussed, we’ll see where it goes. I’m focused on myself and the next game. I hope everything comes to fruition. I want to renew and be at Madrid for a long time, but it’s not something that depends only on me. For me, the most important thing is the sporting side and being happy.”
The Spanish international has made 21 appearances in all competitions under Carlo Ancelotti this term, scoring on three occasions. The majority of his outings have come from the substitute bench, however, as he remains someway down the pecking order, which is likely to be weighing on his mind.
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Asensio let his frustration spill over regarding his role as a replacement as he lashed out at a cool box in September. Ancelotti sympathised with his player, saying: "If he is angry, I agree with him. It's normal, it means you want to play, feel important. In this period, he has been the most affected player in the squad and I take that into account. I totally agree with his anger, nothing happens."
Barcelona have been on a major recruitment drive in the last 12 months. Xavi arrived midway through last season and has set about bolstering his squad. Major moves have been made for the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde.
Adding Asensio, albeit for no transfer fee, would be another major coup, especially due to the amount of interest there would be. Barcelona are leading Los Blancos in the race for the La Liga title, holding a three-point lead at the top.
