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REAL MADRID

Asensio's injury opens the door for Rodrygo and Kubo

Asensio is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season and Zidane may select one of the new signings to cover the absence.

Nueva YorkUpdate:
Asensio's injury opens the door for Rodrygo and Kubo
JAVIER GANDULDIARIO AS

Real Madrid have decided that there are three keys to covering the gap left in the squad by Marco Asensio's cruciate ligament injury that is expected to rule him out of the 2019-20 season entirely. The club will not sign a direct replacement, will put a hold on certain anticipated exits and prime some of the younger players to step up and cover the gap left by the Asensio injury. Rodrygo and Kubo have been identified as two ideal candidates who could fill the role. Both players were initially earmarked to play in Segunda B (Spain's third tier) with Real Madrid Castilla and make sporadic appearances for the first team in the likes of the Copa del Rey.

Impressed

Both young talents have impressed the French coach in the Montreal pre-season activity with Zidane claiming that the former Tokyo FC star: "He has no fear when it comes to playing football".  Playing on the right wing is the natural position for the Japanese player with Rodrygo having played for both Santos and the Brazilian U-20 side on the left although Zidane used him on the right wing in the first International Champions Cup 2019 test against Bayern Munich in Houston.

Real Madrid midfielder Takefusa Kubo gestures against Bayern Munich during their International Champions Cup match on July 20, 2019 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by AARON M. SPRECHER / AFP)
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Real Madrid midfielder Takefusa Kubo gestures against Bayern Munich during their International Champions Cup match on July 20, 2019 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by AARON M. SPRECHER / AFP)AARON M. SPRECHERAFP

Both Rodrygo and Kubo are potential candidates to cover the Asensio position despite both already being registered with RM Castilla. It's anticipated that Valverde is expected to be granted an EU passport in the not too distant future which will then free up a non-EU space in the first team squad with current regulations limiting this to three players (Militao and Vinicius...plus another). This final non-EU place in the first team squad will be allocated to either Rodrygo or Kubo with the unlucky player having to remain with Castilla in 2B.