Raúl Asencio has been dealt a significant setback in his push to convince José Mourinho of his worth, forced to pull out of a pre-season training session before being confirmed with a muscle injury. Real Madrid’s official statement described it as an injury to the rectus femoris in his right leg, with recovery to be monitored — but didn’t attach a timeline.
That detail has since followed. According to club insider Arancha Rodríguez and other Spanish outlets including AS, the 23-year-old is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks, which would put his return somewhere in September. In practical terms, that rules him out of the rest of pre-season and likely Real Madrid’s opening four or five La Liga fixtures.
A complication for his own future, too
The timing cuts both ways for Asencio. Real Madrid had been looking to move him on this summer — he’s fallen further down the pecking order following Ibrahima Konaté’s free transfer arrival from Liverpool, and has also been floated as a possible makeweight in a deal to sign Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. An extended injury absence makes any transfer considerably harder to complete, since he wouldn’t be able to pass a medical at a new club before the window closes — some reports now suggest he’s more likely to stay at the Bernabéu until at least January as a result.
Not every outlet agrees on how serious a threat this is to his exit, though. MARCA has reported the injury is considered minor internally and won’t derail Real Madrid’s plans to sell or loan him before deadline day, describing it as more a matter of timing than substance.
Where things stand for Asencio
He made 34 first-team appearances last season after a breakout 2024/25 campaign, and remains under contract until the summer of 2031 — a deal that gives Real Madrid leverage either way, whether that means selling him on their own terms or keeping him as depth. His physical trainer, Luiso Hernández, has described Asencio as determined to treat the uncertainty as part of life at a demanding club, stressing that his profile still fits what the new coaching staff want, even after a difficult season.
RMxtra Verdict
Six weeks doesn’t sound dramatic on its own, but for a player already fighting for a future at the club, it’s exactly the kind of delay that can turn a straightforward summer exit into a far messier situation. Whether Asencio ends up leaving this window or waiting until January may now come down to how quickly — and how fully — he recovers.