FC Tokyo forward Takefusa Kubo is ‘a step away’ from completing a summer move to Real Madrid, according to a report in Marca.
Earlier this month, El Mundo Deportivo cited a report in Japanese outlet NikkanSports which claims Madrid and City are the two favourites, despite Paris Saint-Germain also being in the running.
It is claimed that the former Barcelona youth player will sign a five-year deal for Los Blancos, who will part with €2m to complete the deal.
The attack-minded player spent four years in the Blaugrana’s La Masia youth academy but had to leave the club in 2015 when Barcelona were sanctioned for signing underage players illegally.
Kubo, who has been nicknamed ‘the Japanese Messi’, then signed for FC Tokyo but he celebrated his 18th birthday earlier this month and is subsequently available to return to European football.
The Japan Under-20 international is said to have caught the attention of sporting directors of ‘Europe’s biggest clubs’, but the Blaugrana are said to have dropped out of the running.
José Ángel Sánchez, general director of Los Blancos, is already said to have held meeting with the representatives of the player.
Kubo has netted six goals across 30 appearances for the Japanese club.
