Aston Villa could be set to enter battle for Real Madrid starlet Raul Asencio in the winter transfer window - with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest also being touted with a move for his services, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes.
Asencio had primarily been a key player for Real's B-Team 'Castilla' side, even up until the latter stretches of this calendar year - but having been introduced to the first-team fray in early November, the youngster has shone at first-team level after getting the call-up from Carlo Ancelotti. That has seen Premier League interest in his services, according to reports - with Villa, Newcastle and Forest being the clubs at the front of the queue.
Report: Villa, Newcastle, Forest in three-horse race for Raul Asencio
The youngster has impressed at Real Madrid and may move to the Premier League
St James' Park
The report from Fichajes states that, with Asencio already having featured for Real Madrid's first-team and his performances being impressive, it has tempted interest from elsewhere.
His 'goalscoring ability' and style of play has caught the attention of Villa, Newcastle and Forest, with the trio looking to reinforce their defensive ranks with young, high-potential players. Asencio is seen as the 'ideal' option for Unai Emery despite his lack of experience, given his progress at the Santiago Bernabeu - and the 21-year-old may potentially see regular game time in the Premier League as his opportunity to make a step-up in his career and massively enhance his development.
Asencio's asking price isn't overly demanding, either. The report states that he is expected to be worth somewhere in the region of €10million (£8.4million), with Madrid chiefs likely to insert a buy-back clause if he shines in the English top-flight, alongside a 40 percent sell-on fee for any future sale if he was to move anywhere other than the Bernabeu.
Raul Asencio's La Liga statistics - Real Madrid squad ranking
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Clearances Per Game
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Asencio is only 21, having moved to La Liga reigning champions Madrid at the age of just 13 - and despite making his debut just over a month ago, seven strong appearances since have put him in hot demand. Emery could back the signing of a new centre-back, with both Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos entering their thirties, which leaves just Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres as their centre-backs stars still to come into their primes - leading to a potential succession plan being formed by the Spaniard, who has raided his homeland plenty of times before.
Newcastle and Eddie Howe are especially in need of a centre-back given their injury woes that have seen Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman and Emil Krafth sidelined for the majority of the campaign, and that could be enough for Howe to make a move for the 21-year-old, who has started four games for his club this season.
Forest, meanwhile, have Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo as their two centre-backs, with the duo being two of the most impressive defenders in the top-flight this season - but with Murillo especially receiving widespread interest for his cultured performances from the heart of the Reds' defence, Asencio could be an alternative signing that would ensure huge profits at the City Ground, having only joined for around £12million back in August 2023.
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Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 17-12-24.