The prodigious Takefusa Kubo is finally blossoming into the world-class talent Real Madrid once envisioned. After a series of underwhelming loan spells, the 21-year-old winger seems to have found his footing at Real Sociedad.
Long heralded as one of football’s brightest prospects, Kubo joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2019. However, the young starlet struggled to break into Los Blancos’ senior squad due to a lack of non-EU spots.
As a result, Kubo was loaned out to several La Liga clubs, including RCD Mallorca and Villarreal, in hopes of gaining experience. None of these temporary stints proved fruitful though.
Last summer, Real Madrid sanctioned Kubo’s permanent transfer to Real Sociedad for €6.5 million, reserving 50% of the player’s rights. This move is paying dividends as Kubo has bagged 7 goals and 7 assists in 38 appearances this campaign.
Real Madrid, who can match any offer for Kubo, are closely monitoring their former prodigy. Thanks to a €60 million release clause and Los Blancos owning half of Kubo’s rights, Real Madrid could re-sign the attacker for €30 million.
However, according to reports, the Spanish giants have no plans to trigger this clause.
On the eve of Real Madrid’s matchup with Sociedad, manager Carlo Ancelotti praised Kubo’s progress but noted the team’s depth.
“He has been with us and is doing very well with Real Sociedad. We will talk about him in the coming months given the competition in the squad,” Ancelotti said.
Real Madrid With a Watchful Eye on Takefusa Kubo
Kubo, for his part, insists he’s focused on succeeding at Sociedad.
“Right now I’m a Real Sociedad player and I don’t think about anything else. The coach looks after me very well, and so do my teammates. If it wasn’t for Real [Sociedad], I would have lost my ticket for the World Cup,” Kubo stated.
While Kubo’s time at Real Madrid was short-lived, the Japanese star seems to have found an ideal home to nurture his immense talent.
If Takefusa Kubo continues his upward trajectory, a return to the Bernabéu could be on the cards. For now, however, both the player and his parent club appear content with Kubo plying his trade at the Anoeta.
