According to a recent report by the Daily Express, Liverpool have been offered an opportunity to secure the services of Real Madrid playmaker Marco Asensio but only if they are willing to send Sadio Mane in the other direction during the summer transfer period. The same source has mentioned that the Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of the Spanish playmaker but will face stiff competition from Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Galacticos prospect in this off-season.
However, it doesn’t make sense for the Merseyside outfit to consider giving up Sadio Mane in exchange for a player who had to endure a frustrating season with Los Blancos in the last campaign. To Asensio’s credit, he still managed to put in some impressive numbers on the stats sheet.
Asensio’s Impressive Numbers In A Frustrating Season
The Palma de Mallorca born wing wizard registered six goals and created seven assists in 44 matches for Real Madrid in the last term across multiple competitions. Asensio has also represented Spain in 24 international games and has scored one goal for them thus far.
At 23, the Spanish wide man is about to embark upon the best years of his playing career so the Reds could benefit from acquiring his talents before the start of the new season.
Sadio Mane Is Currently Playing At A Higher Level Than Asensio
Asensio’s impressive numbers do not hold a candle to Sadio Mane’s stellar record for Liverpool from the previous campaign. The Senegalese international won the golden boot along with his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the last Premier League season. The 27-year-old registered 26 goals and provided five assists in 50 matches for the Reds last season across all competitions.
The Counter Argument
However, Asensio does have age on his side and has the potential to become a world-class winger in the coming years. The Spanish sensation has decent pace under his belt, which allows him to make intelligent runs with the ball in the opposition half. Furthermore, the La Liga winger has shown some glimpses of his brilliance in the past and has also proven that he can score or assist goals consistently at the highest level.
Why The Reds Cannot Put Their Faith On Asensio By Giving Up Mane
Even though Asensio seems like a terrific prospect, the fact remains that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are currently trying to win trophies after already securing their sixth European Cup in history earlier this summer. Thus, the Reds need players who can come in and hit the ground running from the get-go. Unfortunately, there are some concerns over whether the Spaniard would be able to settle into English football quickly.
Final Verdict
All in all, the Merseyside giants are better off retaining Mane for the long-run even if it means that they have to miss out on Asensio this summer.
