Kubo joined Madrid on a five-year contract last year after being snapped from FC Tokyo. The Los Blancos decided that the immediate loan move was the best option for further developing the 19-year-old, with Mallorca bringing him into their books for the 2019-20 campaign.
Kubo must earn minutes at Villarreal
Real Madrid loanee Takefusa Kubo should “earn” minutes at Villarreal, says Unai Emery. He insisted the winger “won’t get ten games in a row if he doesn’t play”. Kubo joined Madrid on a five-year contract last year after being snapped from FC Tokyo. The Los Blancos decided that the immediate loan move was the best option for further developing the 19-year-old. With Mallorca bringing him into their books for the 2019-20 campaign. Kubo scored five goals and provided four assists in 35 LaLiga outings for Mallorca. But could not prevent them from relegating to the Segunda division. The Japan international impressed him with his time at Son Moix and returned to Real Madrid in July to force his way into Zinedine Zidane’s plans.
Real Madrid may be looking to cut Kubo’s loan deal
However, with the Spanish champions still unable to guarantee the teenager regular football at the Santiago Bernabeu. They eventually accepted another loan offer in the summer transfer window, this time from Villarreal. Kubo’s early months at El Madrigal didn’t go as smoothly as he or Real Madrid might have hoped, with coach Emery reducing the youngster to a bit-part role on the bench. He has only started four LaLiga games for Villarreal to date, and it has been suggested that his parent club may be looking to cut his loan deal in the new year. Emery came out to defend his treatment of Kubo this week, arguing that the Madrid striker still has to prove he can deliver the goods week in, week out.
“We’re not here to give a player ten games in a row if he’s not playing,” Emery told reporters. “He is given a match, and he has to earn more. It’s valid for the young players and everyone. There is a demand here, and that is to win”. Kubo was an unused substitute during Villarreal’s 1-1 draw at home to Athletic Club on Tuesday night. Marking their final consolidation ahead of their winter break in Spain. That result allowed Emery to end the year in the top four, two points ahead of fifth-placed Barcelona, who played more in the game. Real Madrid, meanwhile, sit second in the LaLiga standings behind Atlético Madrid. With a 2-0 win against Granada on Wednesday extending their recent winning run to five games.