News Focus
- Jose Mourinho will take over as Real Madrid head coach before the new season starts.
- The Portuguese boss wants to stop defender Raul Asencio from leaving the Santiago Bernabeu.
- Club officials had previously agreed to sell the 21-year-old if they received a suitable bid.
- Asencio fell out with former manager Alvaro Arbeloa and lost his place in the team this year.
- Mourinho compares the young centre-back to former stars Sergio Ramos and Pepe.
Jose Mourinho is preparing to start his second spell at Real Madrid, and his first decision involves keeping a young defender at the club. The new manager wants to prevent Raul Asencio from moving away during the summer transfer window.
Weeks ago, the Spanish giants planned to allow the academy graduate to leave if a good offer arrived. However, Mourinho has changed this plan. He believes Asencio can become an important player for the team.
This season has been challenging for the centre-back. The club signed Dean Huijsen last summer, which pushed Asencio down the selection list. His situation became worse after a serious argument with former coach Alvaro Arbeloa. The manager stopped picking him for matches following their disagreement.
Mourinho likes defenders with aggressive, fighting qualities. He sees similar characteristics in Asencio that he saw in Sergio Ramos and Pepe during his first time at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. Both players were known for their strong, physical style of defending.
The club still hopes to sign another central defender before the new campaign. This new arrival would mean more competition for places in the back line. Despite this, Mourinho thinks Asencio can develop into a top player under his guidance.
The injury problems of Antonio Rudiger also support this decision. The German international suffers from regular fitness issues and cannot play every match. Keeping Asencio provides necessary cover for the defence when Rudiger needs rest.
The final choice now lies between Mourinho and the club’s sporting department. They must decide whether to follow the new coach’s advice or accept a large sum of money from another club for the young defender.