Takefusa Kubo is unlikely to leave Real Sociedad this summer, especially with the expected departures of Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi to go alongside the already-departed Robin Le Normand. That hasn’t stopped rumours from spreading, with reported interest from Liverpool being the most prominent.
It doesn’t appear that Liverpool made an offer, but Kubo himself has confirmed that one club in Saudi Arabia did. Speaking to France Football (via MD), he revealed that he turned down a proposal worth an eye-watering €160m (four-year contract, €40m per season). He did so because he wants to remain in Europe.
“The most important thing for me since I was a child has been to play against the best and with the best.”
However, Kubo does not rule out making the move to Saudi Arabia in the future – albeit things would need to change drastically for that to happen.
“If one day, soon or very far away, Saudi Arabia becomes the best league in the world on sporting merits, I will go. But at the moment, it is only economically attractive.”
Kubo, who has a €60m release clause, should be a very important player for Real Sociedad during the 2024-25 season, and club bosses will be hopeful that they can retain his services until the deadline for the summer transfer window has passed.
