Real Madrid: The 3 biggest concerns heading into 2021

The development of Takefusa Kubo and Reinier Jesus

Real Madrid fans were optimistic about Takefusa Kubo and Reinier Jesus after the duo received major loan moves this summer. Kubo was expected to have a big opportunity as a centerpiece player for Unai Emery’s Villarreal, who have indeed been on the rise in La Liga as a possible Champions League team. But Kubo hasn’t played a key role at all in the league, starting just two games with 11 appearances off the bench.

Reinier’s loan spell at Borussia Dortmund has been a nightmare. Even though Dortmund are not exactly playing well, Reinier has found it essentially impossible to break into the first team. He’s often not even listed in the squad and barely seems to have a shot at playing. Julian Brandt has been terrible in midfield, but that hasn’t helped Reinier.

Both players could be looking at new loan moves. We haven’t heard much about Reinier’s status with Dortmund despite the fact that the Bundesliga club clearly doesn’t seem to give a damn about him, whereas Emery at least seems open to freeing Kubo in order to replace him with a player he make actually use.

Kubo and Reinier are two of the most talented young players in the world. They deserve playing time and to be in an environment where they are trusted. Martin Odegaard became a huge success in La Liga last season because of all the time and trust he received in the Netherlands’ top flight with various clubs. Real Madrid need to find a team that can do the same for Reinier and Kubo, irrelevant of how big of a name that club is. As long as the level of competition in the league is high enough, both will benefit. They just need a fair shot.