Real Madrid: Marco Asensio injury could scupper Ceballos deal, Emery admits
Marco Asensio suffered a serious injury in Real Madrid's win over Arsenal, which could jeopardise Dani Ceballos' potential move to London to join the Gunners.
A serious injury to Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio "could be bad news" for Arsenal's hopes of signing Dani Ceballos, according to Gunners boss Unai Emery.
Asensio knee injury
Asensio, who came on as a half-time sub, lasted just 20 minutes of Madrid's International Champions Cup clash with Arsenal, scoring the equaliser as it ended 2-2 on full-time with Zidane's team winning the penalty shoot-out 3-2. The Spanish midfielderwas taken off on a stretcher with suspected knee ligament damage and taken to hospital. Zinedine Zidane admitted the injury looked "worrying", and Emery conceded his side might struggle to complete a season-long loan for Ceballos if Los Blancos are short of midfielders.
Asked whether the injury would affect the prospective deal, Emery told reporters: "I don't know. Our target also was not to take injuries in that match, and they maybe have with Asensio. It [could be] bad news, for them and also for us. I don't know if it can change something.
Koscielny situation
Emery was asked about the future of club captain Laurent Koscielny, who refused to travel to the United States for Arsenal's pre-season tour and has been linked to Olympique Lyon, Girondins de Bordeaux and Borussia Dortmund. Koscielny has one year left on his Arsenal contract and the coach indicated he feels he has done all he can to keep the 33-year-old at Emirates Stadium.
"I've spoken about him, with respect to him," said Emery. "I tried to be with us in the position here and continue working and finding one solution between the club, between him and us. When he decided not to come here with us on tour, the solution is now only for the club and him. He decided to be out. I respect him but I have a responsibility, he has a responsibility, and the club have their responsibility. Now it's one issue only for the club and him. My idea is to continue with the players we are working with, and the players that want to be here."