Marco Asensio in the Premier League? Aston Villa look to capitalise on stalled Real Madrid talks with Mateu Alemany to play key role

• Asensio's contract ends in June
• No agreement with Madrid till now for an extension
• Villa wants to jump in and sign the forward

WHAT HAPPENED? The Spanish international is set to become a free agent when his contract at Santiago Bernabeu expires this summer, and he is yet to reach an agreement with the club over an extension. According to Marca, Villa are keen to secure his services in order to bolster their forward line, and are closely monitoring the situation despite knowing well that the player's priority is to stay in the Spanish capital.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mateu Alemany, who is currently the director of football at Barcelona, is set to join the Premier League outfit in the summer and is already drawing up a plan to recruit Asensio. He has suggested that Villa present an offer of €8m per year, which will be double the amount that he currently earns at Madrid. The La Liga outfit had also tabled an offer but was rejected by the player as it did not meet the expectations of the player, but conversations have been taking place for a potential renewal and things are said to be going in the right direction, regardless of Villa's interest.

AND WHAT'S MORE: Asenio is represented by Jorge Mendes, who shares a great relationship with Villa manager Emery and co-owner Nassef Sawiris. If the renewal with Madrid falls through, Asensio remains open to the option of joining the Birmingham side, as it would mean he gets to play in England for the next few seasons after spending several years in Spain, where he has won every trophy possible on offer.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Although Asensio has failed to nail down a starting berth under Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian manager has used him as a substitute on several occasions, including in the recent Champions League clash against Manchester City. However, he may be handed a start on Saturday when Los Blancos welcome Getafe, as Ancelotti will likely look to rotate his squad ahead of a crucial second leg against City on May 16.