Asensio will stay at Madrid, says Zidane
Marco Asensio will remain part of the Real Madrid first-team squad following his UEFA Super Cup heroics, according to boss Zinedine Zidane.
Zinedine Zidane insists Marco Asensio's future lies with Real Madrid after the attacking midfielder impressed in Tuesday's UEFA Super Cup victory over Sevilla.
The 20-year-old, making his first senior appearance for Madrid following stints on loan with Mallorca and Espanyol over the previous two seasons, opened the scoring with a superb long-range strike in the 21st minute.
Zidane's men needed a stoppage-time equaliser from captain Sergio Ramos and a spectacular extra-time winner from Dani Carvajal to see off their LaLiga counterparts 3-2, but the head coach was deeply impressed by Asensio, who took his chance as Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale recuperated from their Euro 2016 efforts.
"Asensio has done a complete game, not only for the goal," Zidane said, as quoted by Marca.
"Asensio is going to stay with us. That's my plan. When you have to play, play well and I am happy with the work he has done."
Asensio's emergence is likely to heighten speculation over the futures of James Rodriguez and Isco, although Zidane suggested he is broadly happy with the make-up of his squad ahead of the domestic campaign.
"If we cannot sign [new players] we will not do," he added, having presided over a close-season where Madrid's famed transfer market muscle has not been in evidence.
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"But we have a very wide and very good squad, with very experienced players and young players. The important thing is the group."