Arsenal were ‘willing to pay €34m’ for Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio this summer but couldn’t find an agreement with Real Madrid.
That’s according to SER Deportivos, who say the Gunners were one of three clubs to show an interest in the Spanish playmaker.
Asensio has been having something of a hard time at the Bernabeu over the last few years, with injuries meaning that he struggled to establish himself under Zinedine Zidane.
That has continued under new manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is determined to reinvent Asensio as a midfielder rather than playing him on the wings or further upfront.
He was linked with a move away from the club throughout the summer, particularly as Real Madrid looked to clear the decks and free up funds for the likes of Kylian Mbappé.
Several Premier League sides have been named as potential suitors, and SER Deportivos say Arsenal were one who made a clear bid in the summer.
“We have been investigating the recent rumours, and we are going to tell you the teams which have been interested in Marco Asensio so that you can see the interest that he has in him,” journalist Pacojó Delgado told the station.
“There was interest from three teams in Europe, and not just any three either. There was interest from Arsenal, there was interest from AC Milan, and there was a question sent to Real Madrid by Tottenham, not to the player’s environment.
“Arsenal said they were willing to pay £34m for the deal, a permanent transfer, not a loan or anything, but they didn’t reach an agreement.
“Milan, while they were doing the operation for Brahim Diaz, also considered doing one for Asensio.
“And Tottenham’s interest was, at the time, a result of them talking to Real Madrid to see what could happen, so I don’t know how Asensio’s name came up in those talks between Real Madrid and Tottenham.
“These are not just any three clubs; we are talking about Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham. In other words, Marco has big clubs interested in him.”
