Arsenal have reportedly joined AC Milan in a bid to sign the 27-year-old, who is reportedly seeking a four-year contract with a higher wage than his current £118,000 per week at Real Madrid.
Despite recent improvements in form and minutes on the pitch under manager Carlo Ancelotti, there are no guarantees that Asensio will be a part of Real Madrid’s long-term plans and, as such, he has been unwilling to sign a new deal with his current one set to expire at the end of the season.
The player’s agents were expected to fly to London last week to discuss potential offers from Premier League clubs, but the financial aspect of a potential deal with Arsenal may be an obstacle.
Currently, only six players at Arsenal earn more than Asensio’s £110k per week, with Gabriel Jesus earning the most on £265k.
However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is said to be a fan of Asensio’s playing style and sees him as a player that can improve his team’s offensive rotation for next season.
Arsenal are said to be looking for a right winger to compete for the starting spot with Bukayo Saka, who has no natural replacement on the bench.
Asensio has four goals and five assists in 27 games this season, but his average playing time is just 36 minutes per game.
For comparison, Saka has nine goals and eight assists in 30 games (average playing time per game 76.8 minutes).
