Spanish Debate: Where Does Sergio Asenjo’s Future Lie?

Sunday, November 30, 2008. A date that Valladolid fans are unlikely to forget this season. For that was the day that Sergio Asenjo played his last match of the year for La Pucela , and perhaps not coincidentally, the date that the season seemed to change for the worse.

Before that Sunday, when Valladolid crushed yet another opponent at the José Zorrilla in the form of Real Mallorca, there were European dreams in Castile and León, but after it, they soon disappeared. For, in the week-and-a-half that followed that victory, goalkeeper Asenjo underwent an operation on his injured knee that would keep him out until mid-February doctors suspected.

Whilst losing a goalkeeper might not sound critical, it has proved to be incredibly costly for Valladolid, as, since that win over Mallorca, they have won just one match out of six in La Liga. Even at the fortress that is their home stadium, where they have beaten Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Sevilla this season, they came unstuck, losing to Racing Santander and Real Betis.

Now, even more worryingly for Valladolid, it looks as though they could lose their young goalkeeper for good, with his agent, Fernando Redondo, claiming yesterday that there has been contact with Barcelona. The Catalan side seemingly join Manchester United, Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in the race for Asenjo, as it seems more and more unlikely that La Pucela will be able to hold onto him for much longer.

Barcelona Blues

For Barcelona this rumoured move could not have come around at a better time, with Víctor Valdés apparently haggling for a lot more than he is worth in his new contract. The Spaniard, who is undoubtedly the number one with the club at the moment, has reportedly been demanding in the region of €9 million for his extension, which naturally, the Blaugrana are not willing to pay.

One man who has apparently made life even more difficult for Valdés is, rather ironically, the goalkeeping coach, Juan Carlos Unzué, who has compiled a complete report on Asenjo and his qualities. Unzué is known to be a fan of the Valladolid youngster, and with all eyes on him in regard to the goalkeeping situation, his word could be crucial.

Indeed, it seems like Txiki Begiristain has already acted on Unzué’s report, by meeting with the agent of Asenjo, Fernando Redondo. Just a day ago, Redondo admitted there had been contact between the two, and a day before that, told a radio station that there is a high chance his man will leave the José Zorrilla.

With Barcelona seemingly clear that the demands of Valdés are too high, and knowing that neither José Pinto nor Albert Jorquera are of the necessary quality to play first-choice, Asenjo seems like a very viable option. There is no doubt they would be able to tie him down for significantly less than their current number one, and, with Valdés apparently frustrating a few people in the club with his demands, it might be the perfect opportunity to let him leave Catalonia.

Stiff Competition

Despite Barcelona’s interest it is fair to say that they are not the only club after Asenjo, and their most likely competition appears to be from Spain. Manchester United have been rumoured to be chasing the youngster, but in reality, with Edwin Van Saar, Tomas Kuszczak and Ben Foster in the ranks, it seems unlikely they would buy another goalkeeper. Indeed, the two most likely destinations, along with Catalonia, appear to be Atlético Madrid and Villarreal.

For El Submarino Amarillo Asenjo’s signing would potentially work in a similar way to if he went to Barcelona, with Diego López allowed to leave if they did manage to bring him in. The current number one is rumoured to be leaving El Madrigal in the summer, and Asenjo would fit the mould of the growing side that Manuel Pellegrini is building perfectly.

In the Spanish capital, with Atlético, it appears to be a more simple case of just needing a decent goalkeeper, who is not error-prone. Neither Leo Franco nor Gregory Coupet are good enough for a club apparently competing for the title in Spain, and there is no doubt that they have the financial clout to bring Asenjo to the Vicente Calderón.

Ironically though, for a goalkeeper of such talent and potential, money does not appear to be the issue as, unbelievably, he has a buy-out clause of just €5.5 million. That is likely to reduce any deal down to personal preference, and at the end of the day, Asenjo has not yet given any indication as to where his future lies.

It could well be that he would prefer to stay at Valladolid another season, to gain some more experience and perhaps to build his reputation, but that seem unlikely. Therefore, the choice between Atlético Madrid and Villarreal could well decide on which of them can finish top four this season, whilst at Barcelona, he might want to be assured of a first-team spot, which will not be possible with Valdés still there. Whatever the outcome, it does not appear that his future is with Valladolid, and with the club struggling in his absence already, they will
surely miss him immensely.

James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com