OPINION
Guillem Balague has delivered an emphatic Twitter rebuttal to speculation Liverpool could sign Real Madrid sensation Marco Asensio – and a significant section of fans of the Merseysiders will be broken.
The Spanish media has regularly linked the Spanish attacking maestro with a move to Anfield over the last 12 months, particularly either side of Philippe Coutinho’s £142million transfer to Barcelona.
Unable to nail down a regular starting slot at Real in the marquee matches, Asensio has nevertheless demonstrated his potential world class with some marvellous goals and moments of jaw-dropping trickery.
He scored 11 goals and supplied six assists in 53 appearances for the Champions League holders last season and already has 21 goals and 10 assists from 91 matches since establishing himself in the team in 2016-17.
Speculation about Asensio moving to Liverpool has intensified in recent times, which has got swatches of the club’s support on social media very excited.
But Sky Sports’ Spanish expert Balague has poured cold water on the possibility, explaining in a post on his personal Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon Liverpool have not tabled an offer for the player and “have no intention” of doing so.
On Asensio. Liverpool have not made an offer and have no intention on making one. Of course they see their huge potential but no indication Real want to sell (they don’t) or him wants to leave (he doesn’t) pic.twitter.com/UNcEwT6keY
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) June 26, 2018
It is not a message that will go down well with the transfer-hungry section of Reds who are getting hot and bothered about the club’s pursuit of a playmaker following the collapse of the Nabil Fekir deal.
Asensio would certainly be a superb alternative to the France international but it appears it’s a deal that won’t be happening this summer, at least.