Liverpool has been reported to have marked Real Sociedad's Japanese national team attacking midfielder Takefusa Kubo (23) as a replacement for Mohamed Salah (32). It is said that consistent contact has been maintained over the past 14 months.
The British media outlet TeamTalk reported on the 3rd (Korea time), "Liverpool considers Kubo to be its top transfer target. Contact began in January 2024, and interest has been maintained until now."
Amid uncertainty regarding Salah's future, Liverpool is reviewing various potential resources. Kubo is considered the most likely replacement.
Kubo has recorded 7 goals and 4 assists in La Liga this season. He demonstrated his presence by registering an assist in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Real Madrid.
Real Sociedad is currently in 10th place in La Liga. They are putting all their efforts into securing a spot in next season's European competitions, needing to finish in the top 8 to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. They are currently 2 points behind the 8th placed team.
The possibility of key player transfers arises based on team performance. TeamTalk noted, "If Real Sociedad fails to qualify for European competitions, they will have no choice but to transfer key players such as Kubo or Martin Zubimendi."
Kubo's contract includes a buyout clause of €60 million (approximately 87 billion won). Both Liverpool and Tottenham, as well as Bayern Munich, are monitoring the situation, and all three clubs are evaluating this amount as "a cost-effective transfer fee."
Liverpool has designated Kubo as the number one alternative resource if Salah leaves the team. Kubo's future will likely be determined by Real Sociedad's final season performance and the movements of Europe's top clubs.
Kubo gained attention after joining FC Barcelona's youth team, La Masia, at the age of just 10 in 2011. However, he left Barcelona for Japan in 2015 due to a violation of the FIFA regulations regarding minors.
In 2017, he signed a professional contract with FC Tokyo and played in the J-League. In June 2019, he returned to Europe by signing with the prestigious Spanish club Real Madrid.
Afterward, Kubo had loan spells at Mallorca (2019–2020), Villarreal (2020–2021), Getafe (2021), and again at Mallorca (2021–2022). After a permanent move to Real Sociedad in the summer of 2022, he has been active as a starting winger, establishing himself as one of the standout Asian players in La Liga. In the 2022–2023 season, he appeared in 35 La Liga matches, scoring 9 goals and providing 4 assists. This is his best performance since debuting in Europe.
Since making his debut with the Japan national team in 2019, Kubo has been consistently called up. He also competed in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, gaining experience on the world stage.
[OSEN]