Recently, there have been several reports which linked Real Madrid player Marco Asensio to AC Milan. The Spanish right-winger (and also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder) of Los Blancos is 26 years old with 10 goals and 1 assist to his name this season after 35 appearances across all competitions.
Pianeta Milan spoke with Spanish journalist of AS, Mirko Calemme who had the following words to say:
"I know it is a real goal of Milan, I have had confirmation from both Milan and Madrid and I think it is the technically perfect shot to reinforce the Rossoneri attack. Even for the age of the player."
On the situation:
"For now, we are at the opening stages of a negotiation that will be long. I believe that Real Madrid and Milan would find an agreement on the player's card. He is a player expiring in 2023 and at least to date he does not seem to be part of the plans, there is no talk of renewal. Real Madrid will want to sell and monetise."
On the player's salary:
"He has a salary between 4 or 5 million euros net. With the Growth Decree, Milan could guarantee it. The requests for now have been higher, because they also have a market in the Premier League, so Milan must anticipate the competition in this sense."
Real Madrid fans seem happy to let Asensio go...
"Well, it's not true. They are not all happy. They would not all be happy. The truth is that, at Real Madrid, anything that is not excellence is criticized, but Asensio is a player who has lived very important moments at Real Madrid."
Can he play like Theo Hernandez (in the sense of leaving Real Madrid and reaching a peak level):
"Yes, although perhaps Theo Hernandez was even more incredible as a deal because economically I think Asensio will cost more. But it's a similar profile, a similar situation: a player that Real Madrid lets go and gets to Serie A and does the difference, this situation can repeat itself."
Any more names at Real Madrid linked with Milan?
"I believe that for now the real and concrete track is Asensio... We have seen that Milan and Real Madrid are two clubs that have excellent relations."
On Brahim Diaz' situation:
"I have always written and known that it is a two-year dry loan, with the word to discuss the situation and understand it later. Then of other details such as buy-option and buy-back option, maybe the parties could talk about it, but from what appears to me, and this I can say, it is a two-year dry loan. As announced by Milan among other things."
Mirko Calemme added:
"The situation is still to be defined. I think Milan can and want to evaluate Brahim's stay. I think Real Madrid in turn want to understand how Brahim Diaz's situation evolves and what the squad will be next year. Brahim Diaz has to decide. Until testing positive to Covid-19, Brahim was the best player for Milan. I was at San Siro for Milan-Atletico and he made a sensational performance. It is inevitable to think that Covid, that stop, caused something to him. Because this change in performance is not possible like this. Brahim Diaz is a player who must be recovered because what he showed in the first three months of this season is not that he invents himself: either you have it or you don't have it and Brahim Diaz has it."
On Theo Hernandez:
"I think Theo Hernandez will improve even more in another couple of years. He will become one of the best in Europe in his role. He already is, but he will rise again. He has improved in self-confidence, maturity, because he has also aged well. Now he is also a father. The fact of feeling immovable starter in an important team that has bet on him, with Maldini who convinced him in Ibiza, helped him a lot. He needed this. Doing it at Real Madrid is difficult for several reasons. I interviewed him and I saw him sincere when he told me that he would always like to stay at Milan: he is very close and I think he will really want to stay there for a long time. That's good for Milan."
