The Intriguing Finances Surrounding $66 Million Takefusa Kubo—Tracked By Real Madrid

Real Madrid is already drafting its long-term squad plans, with former player Takefusa Kubo—Real Sociedad’s highly-valued 21-year-old—the latest possible signing for Los Blancos come July.

On top form, the Japanese international is arguably the standout name in Spain when you glance beyond the usual suspects nearer the La Liga summit: Real, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

When asked about the youngster before Real’s faceoff with the txuri urdin in La Liga, head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the club is closely monitoring his progress, saying, “We’re watching him because he’s doing very well with La Real.”

He added, “We’ll talk about these issues in the coming months. For players of this profile, looking for minutes in this team is not easy,” outlining how standing out in the selection demands both unrivalled ability and personality to match any hefty price tag.

A creative spark with excellent close control in possession, Kubo’s whereabouts are worth tracking. And the money surrounding the playmaker, whom Sociedad values at €60 million ($66 million), is particularly compelling as it hands both his current team and Real a tricky decision when the transfer window opens, likely on July 1.

Though he often lacks the numbers to complement his skills, Kubo has notched a career-best seven goals and five assists in 27 league games this campaign. With him struggling to impress at Mallorca, Villarreal and Getafe on loan, Real had been content to keep him on the books before his moderate €6.5 million ($7 million) switch to San Sebastián, a deal incentivized by Real earning a healthy portion of any future resale to another club, assuming his stock continues to rise.

It has this term. And were Sociedad to sell him for anything over €4 million ($4.5 million) this summer, Real would recoup 50% of the transfer, as forwarded by El Diario Vasco (Spanish). So, although the €60 million ($66 million) valuation may be a negotiating ploy, such a figure would leave Los Blancos with a convenient €30 million ($33 million) minus the €4 million ($4.5 million) for Sociedad—meaning he could earn them good money.

Kubo may be exhibiting his best self, but re-signing the playmaker makes little sense for Real, especially from a business standpoint. Having sold him on the cheap, recruiting him again is becoming increasingly expensive. Moreover, there is no guarantee he features heavily in the starting lineup—replete with Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Marco Asensio and other stars vying for places, as Ancelotti noted.

As Real aims to avoid an Eden Hazard-like situation—a pricey acquisition used to sitting on the bench—Sociedad has a decisive call, too. Even with Real pocketing its share, La Real can make a tidy profit on Kubo to reinvest in the team—buoyed by an excellent youth setup. On the other hand, it needs figures such as Kubo to close the points gulf on the elite teams, which pull away from coach Imanol Alguacil’s men at this time of year.

For the player himself, anything but the Spanish capital works best. It’s so easy to become lost in the Real ranks, and going back—when he still has much more to prove—could mark a backwards step unless he hits the ground running or chooses to stay at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu for the long haul.

The next chance to gauge his level comes when the two sides lock horns in the Basque Country on May 2: another talent examination for Kubo, who could become the priciest Japanese soccer transfer in history, whether that’s this summer or further down the line. He’ll be one to watch when the market opens.