It is time for Asensio to shine

Real Madrid have longed for the emergence of a Spanish heir to Raul's throne. El Ferrari, as he is fondly called, left the club he dedicated his services to for nearly two decades in 2010 and joined Schalke.

Raul was the talisman for Real Madrid and of course the Spanish national team. But with the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United in 2009, Raul had to give way for the next generation to take over and light up the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo went on to break and shatter all records that stood in front of him at Real Madrid. He strode the Bernabeu and left his rivals in awe of his enviable footballing abilities. But alas! all good things come to an end, and the Portuguese moved on to Juventus at the end of the just concluded FIFA World Cup in Russia.

This move broke the hearts of many Madridistas, but I believe Marco Asensio can mend those broken hearts.

Signed for a bargain price of 3 million pounds, this 22-year-old can become the next Spanish symbol of Real Madrid and replace Ronaldo as the team's talisman. Replicating the form of CR7 would be a Herculean task for any player in world football, but Asensio has the ability to come close.

He is gifted with excellent technical ability, exceptional dribbling skills, tremendous pace and an eye for goal. Some say he has the next best left foot after Lionel Messi.

Asensio has a rocket of a left foot, having scored some breathtaking goals in the past few seasons. He is also versatile, which means he can play in all the attacking roles, and is a direct player with some amazing mazy runs that bamboozle defenders.

Perhaps Real Madrid do not need to splash out huge sums of money to find Ronaldo's replacement, Perhaps the answer lies in this jewel of a kid.

It is time for Asensio to step up and take the throne.