Real Madrid’s signing of Takefusa Kubo in 2019 ensured they had secured one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Japan in a generation.
Whilst Kubo is now on loan at Getafe – his third club in La Liga – there is another Japanese talent who is generating a lot of excitement in the Spanish capital.
17-year-old Takuhiro Nakai was named on the top 50 list of the best young footballers in the world in the NXGN awards this week.
Es un honor haber sido incluido por Goal en la lista NXGN 2021 como una de las 50 jóvenes promesas con más proyección del fútbol mundial.
Estoy muy orgulloso y agradecido, y este reconocimiento es una motivación más para seguir trabajando y luchando por conseguir mis metas. pic.twitter.com/Jek0zrDWeO— Takuhiro Nakai “Pipi”/中井卓大 (@pipirm8) March 23, 2021
Pipi is a talented playmaker and is already represented by the Stellar group agency, recently sold by Jonathan Barnett – the agent of Gareth Bale.
He has earned the nickname ‘Pipi’ and Diario AS highlight how he is praised by coaches for his vision and positional sense, while he also has superb dribbling skill.
He has featured in first-team training for Los Blancos multiple times and is said to be destined for a top future in football, and could become a huge Madrid star in the years to come.
All well and good unless Madrid sees more benefit in moving him on than allowing these gems to play for Madrid the sole reason they signed on in the youth teams to begin with.