Revealed: Liverpool came close to landing Real Madrid duo, could go back in for one this summer
Liverpool previously came close to signing Real Madrid duo Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio, it has been revealed, with the Reds poised to reignite their interest in Asensio this summer.
Jurgen Klopp’s side face a difficult task as they travel to the Bernabeu on Wednesday, aiming to overturn a 5-2 deficit after being outclassed in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg.
There’s a chance that both Madrid players could be involved in the tie, so Liverpool may live to regret not penning deals for the Spanish pair in the past.
Indeed, the Reds will have to defy all odds if they are to take revenge on the LaLiga giants, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side also beating them in last year’s Champions League final.
According to a report from AS, both Asensio and Ceballos have been close to moving to Merseyside in the past.
They claim that Asensio was ‘in reach’ for the Reds, who had identified him in the wake of his impressive performances for Mallorca as a youngster before Madrid swooped in and secured his signature.
Ceballos has also been on Liverpool’s radar in the past. They are believed to have received ‘positive reports’ on the playmaker during his spell in the Spanish Segunda with Real Betis before he made the switch to the Bernabeu.
Liverpool to battle Arsenal for Asensio this summer
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Liverpool could look to reignite their interest in Asensio this summer, with the Spaniard’s contract at the Bernabeu set to expire at the end of the season.
Indeed, negotiations over a contract extension at Madrid have allegedly come to a standstill, with Ancelotti remaining tight-lipped on the attacker’s future.
Speaking to Sky Sports last month, the manager said: “He looks good to me, so I don’t know if he stays or not.
“Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. I don’t care much. We have some important challenges this season. The most important thing is that he contributes like last year.
“Let him continue as he is doing now. Then the club makes the most appropriate decision in the end.”
Arsenal are also thought to be firmly in the race for Asensio’s signature, so it will be very interesting to see how this story develops in the coming months.
The 27-year-old has been a key player for Los Blancos this season, making 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and making five assists in the process.
For now, Asensio’s full focus will be on knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League, with the Spaniard in with a good chance of featuring in Madrid’s starting XI for the bout.
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