As per sources, it is almost confined that Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio has signed a four-year preliminary contract with the club’s bitter rivals Barcelona.
Asensio’s current deal at the Bernabeu expires at the end of this season.
He hasn’t renewed his deal with Real Madrid and looks increasingly likely to end his nine-year stay at the club next summer.
Naturally, a number of Europe’s top clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and AC Milan, have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old.
Asensio will be able to discuss terms with foreign clubs over a free transfer from January.
However, rumours of a switch to Barcelona have grown in recent weeks.
When asked about this, Asensio himself recently refused to rule out this prospect.
Asensio has played more than 250 games for Los Blancos since making his debut in 2016.
His silverware collection includes three La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.
However, he has made only four appearances totalling just 47 minutes so far this season.
Dealings between the two clubs are rare, due to the intense rivalry.
Javier Saviola the last such player in 2007 to shift from Barcelona to Real Madrid.
Luis Figo’s headline-grabbing move to the Bernabeu is the most famous example of an intra-club transfer concerning these two historical rivals.