After loaning Dani Ceballos for two years and then borrowing Martin Ødegaard before signing him permanently, Arsenal are now keen on another Real Madrid midfielder.
That man is Marco Asensio, who is also being targeted by Milan, as they want to bolster their squad to ensure they have a chance of retaining their Serie A title.
In fact, Paolo Maldini is said to have already called Carlo Ancelotti to discuss various matters, including the Majorcan, whom the Real Madrid manager wouldn’t be against parting ways with.
The problem for the Italians, which remains an issue across the transfer market, is their financial limits, and that’s the first thing Corriere dello Sport touch upon when looking at the obstacles Stefano Pioli’s side face.
The operation to get Asensio ‘remains very difficult for two reasons’, with the primary one being the player’s wage demands.
Asensio ‘would ask for a €7m salary, and the Rossoneri would not want to reach that figure’, with a lower self-imposed wage cap in place at the club.
However, the bigger issue are the Premier League teams that are ‘willing to please the player with higher salaries’.
Arsenal are among them, reportedly ‘very keen to take Asensio’ to the Emirates, where he could work under fellow Spaniard Mikel Arteta.
Regarding a fee, none is mentioned, but a report on Tuesday suggested Real Madrid wouldn’t be able to ask for more than €30-35m since the midfielder’s contract at the Bernabeu runs out in 2023.
That is certainly affordable for Arsenal, but it also depends on what else they need this transfer window, with a striker clearly higher up the priority list.
