REAL MADRID
Real Madrid: Mallorca close to an agreement for Take Kubo
Mallorca and Madrid are close to reaching an agreement for the loan of the Japanese player. The islanders would cover his wages but won't have an option to buy.
Take Kubo's short-term future is looking a little more settled. After the 20-year-old had represented his country at the Tokyo Olympics, his agent and Real Madrid sat down to find him a new club for this season. While it has looked like Real Sociedad were the favourites to take Kubo on loan, now it appears that Mallorca may have beaten them to it. An agreement is close, and the operation could be concluded in the next few hours.
Mallorca, where Take spent the 2019/2020 season on loan, are doing everything they can to bring him back to Son Moix. They propose paying his full wages, plus an economic compensation fee for Real Madrid. But they will not have the option to buy the player when the loan deal ends next summer. The player is happy about the idea of going back to Mallorca where he will be guaranteed playing time - unlike during his most recent loan stints at Villarreal and Getafe.
At one point, Real Sociedad looked set to be his next destination. A year in San Sebastián was an option which appealed to both the club and the player (La Real coach Imanol Alguacil was equally very interested in having him in his squad); but the priority is finding a club where he will be assured a certain amount of protagonism - even at a club with a lower profile to avoid the bad experiences of last season. Other clubs such as Espanyol and Levante also had hopes of landing Kubo on loan, but there were further down in the running. One option that was never on the cards was letting Kubo go abroad even though there were a number of interested foreign clubs.
No room for Kubo at Real Madrid
Kubo's plan was to stay on with Madrid, in line with what was agreed last season; but the problems is sorting out Vinicius' naturalisation meant that it is impossible to find a place in the squad for the Japanese star as the club already has three non-EU players. That hasn't dashed his hopes of making it at Madrid - he will be going out on loan with the intention of returning next year and rejoining the first team squad on a permanent basis. That was one of the reasons why the club ruled out transferring him which was something that neither the player, nor the club, who would rather keep hold of his rights, were keen on.
Kubo in due back in Madrid on Tuesday, following his excellent performances for Japan at the Olympic Games. He ended up just missing out on the bronze medal after Japan were lost the third-place match to Mexico. But he ended the event with three goals in Tokyo and one assist. Over the next few days, if he loan move still isn't finalised, he will be expected to start work with Ancelotti until his situation is sorted out.