Marco Asensio In Advanced Talks to Join Paris Saint-Germain as Free Agent

Marco Asensio is looking to switch sides

The 27-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Real Madrid attacker is in advanced talks to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, according to ESPN sources.

Marco AsensioThe Spain international, whose contract expires this summer, received a proposal to renew with Real Madrid that convinced him financially but he has decided to move on after a season in which he has started less than half of the club’s LaLiga games.

Aston VillaJuventus and AC Milan have also reportedly shown interest in Asensio in recent months, but the PSG proposal is currently the one that’s proving most tempting to Asensio.

The good relationship between Jorge Mendes, Asensio’s agent, and Luis Campos, PSG’s sporting director, has been key in the negotiations, sources added.

PSG are planning an overhaul in the summer that will include the departure of Lionel Messi and the hiring of a coach to replace Christophe Galtier.

The Parisian team also want to part ways with Neymar and are looking for forwards to accompany Kylian Mbappe in attack, sources said. As a result, Asensio has emerged as an intriguing option because at 27 years old he would arrive with the best years of his career ahead of him and as a free agent.

More than the economic aspect, Asensio understood that his role at Real Madrid, in terms of minutes, was not going to change next season, hence his decision to leave the Santiago Bernabeu on June 30.

Barcelona Complete On-Loan Signing of Adama Traore with Wolverhampton Wanderers

Adama Traore is headed home to Spain…

Barcelona has completed the signing of the 26-year-old Spanish professional footballer, a winger for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Adama TraoreTraore will be on loan to Barca  until the end of the season, the club has announced.

Tottenham Hotspur had been in talks with Wolves for some time, sources previously told ESPN, with boss Antonio Conte eyeing Traore as a possible wing-back option in his preferred 3-4-3 formation.

While it is understood the winger harbored some reservations about that role, sources have told ESPN the bigger issue was a failure of both clubs to agree a fee with Spurs reluctant to pay much beyond £20 million.

Traore returns to Camp Nou after nearly seven years away, having come through the club’s youth academy.

He becomes Barca‘s third signing in the January transfer window following the arrivals of Dani Alves and Ferran Torres.

If Barca decide to sign Traore in the summer, the fee could be negotiated if Wolves also exercise a clause to make Francisco Trincao‘s move permanent.

The Premier League side has an option to sign the Portuguese attacker, who is on a season-long loan from Barca, for €30m at the end of the season.

Both players are represented by Jorge Mendes, who also oversaw Nelson Semedo‘s €30m move from Barcelona to Wolves in 2020.

Traore has won eight international caps for Spain since making his debut in 2020. He was part of Luis Enrique‘s squad for Euro 2020 last summer as La Roja reached the semifinal, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Italy on penalties.