La Liga champions Real Madrid have reportedly turned down the opening offer from Real Sociedad for 21-year-old Japanese prospect Takefusa Kubo.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Real Sociedad will need to raise the offer to secure the services of Takefusa Kubo after Real Madrid rejected their opening bid. But the 21-year-old prospect is still likely to join the Basque club in the summer transfer window.
Takefusa Kubo arrived at Real Madrid with a lot of hype and excitement surrounding him as Los Blancos had beaten arch-rival Barcelona to his signature. Kubo is a former La Masia trainee but had to leave Barcelona due to a breach of FIFA rules. But when the Japanese prospect joined Real Madrid, he seemed a long-term solution for their offensive unit.
However, Kubo is yet to establish a foothold in the first-team setup at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Merengues hauling him out on four loan spells. Kubo’s most successful loan stints have come at RCD Mallorca, with the terms at Villarreal and Getafe not panning out as envisioned. The 21-year-old is back at Real Madrid after spending last season at RCD Mallorca.
But with all three non-EU slots at Real Madrid filled at the moment, Kubo will unlikely be in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad in the 2022/23 season, even though the Spanish giants rate him highly. Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo Goes will soon receive their respective Spanish passports, but Kubo will have to bide his time until they do. And Real Sociedad could offer him his fifth loan spell away from Real Madrid.
The Basque heavyweights have attempted to sign Kubo on loan on two occasions, only for the 21-year-old prospect to join another La Liga club instead. Real Sociedad will hope to be third time lucky in the summer transfer window as they look to bolster their attacking unit.
Mikel Oyarzabal is nursing a long-term injury and will be unavailable for the first half of the 2022/23 season. Meanwhile, Adnan Januzaj has departed from the Reale Arena, while Portu is no longer at San Sebastian. Kubo has thus emerged as a viable target for Real Sociedad, but their first offer for the Real Madrid forward has been unsuccessful.
Real Madrid will look for a better proposal from La Real, but Kubo will likely move to the Basque club in the summer transfer window. And while recent reports claimed that Real Madrid might look to sell the 21-year-old permanently, another loan exit seems likely for the young Japanese prospect.