Real Madrid: A surprise favorite may be emerging for Takefusa Kubo

Real Madrid attacking midfielder Takefusa Kubo is one of the most in-demand players in La Liga right now.

It feels like everyone is lining up to sign Takefusa Kubo on loan from Real Madrid in the 2020-2021 season. Kubo is coming off a wonderful first season of starting in La Liga’s top flight, imposing himself as the brightest star on Mallorca during his loan spell there in the 2019-2020 season.

Recently signed by Real for free, Kubo has shown that he has all the tools to become one of the league’s best players in a few years. And he’s already an effective starter, which is why at least a handful of La Liga teams want to sign him on loan.

Ideally, Los Blancos would loan him somewhere he can play European football and in La Liga so there is minimal adjustment to Real – and so that it is ensured that Kubo is getting meaningful minutes against high-quality competition.

Sevilla looked like a great opportunity for Kubo to play Champions League football, but they no longer look like favorites after insisting on an option to buy. Real have no intention of selling such a talented young player.

According to a report from Uxme M. de Zúñiga of AS, Osasuna “dream” of signing the Japanese attacking midfielder. They have huge ambitions with a renovated El Sadar, and the club envisions Kubo as being a centerpiece player for them. The report mentions that Betis and Sevilla may be ruled out at this point.

If that sounds familiar, then that’s exactly the situation Martin Odegaard had at Real Sociedad. La Real only qualified for European football thanks to Odegaard’s instrumental help, but, before that, they were in Osasuna’s position as a promising side looking to break through. Odegaard became their centerpiece in the attacking midfield, and the rest is history.

Kubo could do the same for Osasuna. Whereas he wouldn’t play regularly at Sevilla or Real Betis due to other players, Kubo would be a key starter at Osasuna. He’d have an even bigger role with better teammates at Osasuna than at Mallorca.

Osasuna aren’t in the Europa League (yet), but keep an eye on them in the Kubo transfer story. They could eventually convince Real Madrid to loan him to Pamplona, because Osasuna seem to want him the most.