Real Madrid go into deadline day with their defensive planning stuck in place. Raúl Asencio does not want to leave, and Jose Mourinho has already told him he is not part of his plans. With the window closing at 11:59 pm on September 1, there is no time for the situation to drift much longer.
Asencio's refusal
AS reported that Asencio's wish to stay at the Santiago Bernabéu has effectively closed the door on a late move for another defender. That is the main reason Madrid's deadline-day work has stalled.
The club are not dealing with a clean exit here. Asencio has been managing a shin problem dating back to last season, and he also suffered a quadriceps injury during pre-season. The same report says surgery is a possibility only if treatment does not bring the expected improvement, with a potential absence of six to eight weeks.
Madrid's centre-back options
Mourinho already has options in central defence, including Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konate and Antonio Rudiger. Huijsen has already made 3 La Liga appearances and played 218 minutes, which gives Madrid a live option in the middle of the back line.
The timing leaves Madrid in a difficult spot. They have 3 league matches coming up after the deadline, and Asencio has been involved in 5 recent league matches, so this is still a live squad issue rather than a player disappearing from the frame. If he stays, Madrid's late defensive addition is off the table and the focus shifts to how Mourinho manages the current centre-backs over the next run of fixtures.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
