Real ‘provoke’ star into exit ‘threat’ after offer from Tottenham

Marco Asensio is getting close to leaving Real Madrid amid reports Premier League side Tottenham made a summer bid for him.

Spurs and Liverpool were both linked with the Spaniard during the summer transfer window but Asensio had no intention of moving.

Asensio made 35 appearances in La Liga last campaign, managing his most Spanish top-flight starts in a season with 21, coming off the bench in the other 14 games.

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He has been in and out the team under previous managers Zinedine Zidane, Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari since breaking into the Los Blancos side in 2016.

And the 25-year-old had hoped for consistent starts this season under new boss Carlo Ancelotti – but he is yet to start a match this term.

Tottenham had made him a ‘big target’ in the summer transfer window but he reportedly turned them down to concentrate on becoming a regular at the Bernabeu.

And now Spanish publication Sport claims that Asensio is ‘not happy with the role he has under Carlo Ancelotti’ after only playing 69 minutes in all competitions.

Ancelotti’s decision to leave him on the bench in a recent match against Valencia caused Asensio to ‘explode’ after feeling ‘provoked’.

And now the midfielder is serious about his ‘threat’ to leave in the January transfer window following a summer in which Tottenham and AC Milan made ‘very important offers’ for him.

The Real Madrid midfielder’s contract expires in June 2023 and ‘if a good offer arrives, the club will not reject it if the player requests to leave’.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti said on Tuesday that it’s “normal” for players like Asensio to not to be happy when they aren’t playing.

“It’s normal that those who aren’t playing aren’t happy,” Ancelotti said.

“If Marco Asensio or Isco or Luka Jovic aren’t happy with not playing then that’s normal, that’s good. But, Asensio, Isco and Jovic are training well. Asensio, Isco and Jovic will have minutes.

“I have to evaluate the condition of the players who have played. I’m thinking about making some changes [in the next match], but I need to see [Tuesday’s] training session first. But yes, we’re thinking about making some changes. It’s difficult to pick the line-ups.”