Contact made with Real Sociedad over Takefusa Kubo | OneFootball

Everton have launched an inquiry over a possible move for Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, according to a TEAMtalk report. The signing of a right winger is a priority for manager David Moyes.

While a number of prospects are being considered for the role, Kubo leads the list. The interest in the player nicknamed ‘Japanese Messi’ was first revealed by reliable Everton outlet @ElBobble on Twitter.

“TEAMtalk understands that Everton have made contact with Real Sociedad over a potential move for Kubo, as well as the player’s agents,” stated the report.

The LaLiga club wants to keep the 24-year-old Japanese international. However, Kubo is open to taking on a new challenge, and is interested in joining a Premier League club.

Reports continue to vary on the price that Sociedad will demand for the former Real Madrid player. With Kubo having a contract with the Basque club until 2029, they are in a strong negotiating position.

As such, the club could consider offers in the region of €40million (£34.6m) for Kubo. While the left-footed forward has a release clause set at €60million (£51.9m), Sociedad aren’t likely to demand that high a fee.

The Toffees are yet to make a formal bid but are considering preparing an offer.

There’s an urgency to fill the right-back slot after Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom returned to their parent clubs following the end of their loan spells.

Everton could also use with pace, trickery and dynamism on the right flank. It is also believed that Kubo could have an immediate impact and improve Moyes’ starting XI.

However, competition for the Japan international could be fierce as Kubo has a number of suitors in LaLiga and Bundesliga while other Premier League clubs are also keeping tabs on the situation.

Besides Kubo, the Blues have Tom Fellows and Omari Hutchinson on their radar. West Brom’s Fellows was considered in the winter transfer window and he recently took part in the u21 Euros for England.

For Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson, Brentford are believed to be leading the race. They recently had a £35million (including add-ons) bid rejected but continue to maintain their interest in the player.

Reader Comments (33)

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John Graham 3 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:19:25

Hopefully we've been in contact with quite a few teams in regards to quite a few players and now it's just a case of sorting fees and payment terms before they have a medical.

I know we don't get to find out what's going on in the background but surely we have the manpower to go for more than one player at a time when the situation is so desperate.

Seems like every time we go for a player, it takes a lifetime to get the transfer completed.

Minik Hansen 5 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:48:04

Sam #1, Deulofeu pops up in my mind, hopefully Kubo is better, but it seems unlikely this transfer will happen. If it does, happy days.

Danny O'Neill 7 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:56:09

I can't comment on the player and it is speculation.

Alan, it's been common for years now. They've even got a phrase for it; the inverted winger.

The left footed McNeil was playing on the right towards the end of last season.

It's become more common for the wide midfielders to cut inside than the traditional winger bombing to the touchline wo whip a cross in.

Funny how we've adopted these phrases. I've mastered the number 10. Someone tried explaining the low block to me. Sounds like the closest defender to the ball closes it down quickly.

I have no concept of the so-called false 9 other than it means you are not playing with a recognised striker!!

Alan J Thompson 8 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:57:36

John(#3); It first has to go to the bloke on the computer to look at the players stats on the company that TFG bought and then discuss it with the Manager and then maybe to an Accountant before the CEO tells his mate from Leeds to negotiate the transfer within the allowed maximum and wages as per the Wages Policy. The whole thing could be a little faster at this time of year as there's no chance of actually seeing him play unless the Stats Company has videos or if not then sourced to be delivered by courier.

You must have worked with a Committee before.

Phil (Kelsall) Roberts 9 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:59:51

I think Kanchelskis was a left footed Right Winger. Can't really remember him going on the outside of the full back but cutting inside and sticking it in the far corner with his left.

Alan J Thompson 10 Posted 22/07/2025 at 11:02:05

Danny, I still think about inside forwards and wing halves and how the offside rule used to work by a defence moving together while working the Channel had something to do with going abroad.

Robert Tressell 11 Posted 22/07/2025 at 11:19:50

A high proportion of the world's best attacking players are inverted wing / forwards and have been for about 15 years.

By contrast pretty much none of the world's best attacking players have been traditional wingers / wide midfielders as you might find in an old 4-4-2. Many of those players are now positioned as full-backs.

Danny O'Neill 12 Posted 22/07/2025 at 11:30:14

I know Alan, it changed a while back. It even filtered down to the youth level I was coaching at, the kids wanted to play on the opposite side so they could cut in and shoot. Robert sums it up well.

I've not mentioned him in a while, so I apologise in advance. Although predominantly left footed and he played on the left of a 4-4-2, I wouldn't have called Kevin Sheedy a traditional winger.

From memory, he didn't have particularly special pace, more speed of thought and mind combined with that wand of a left foot.

I'd also suggest that I thought he looked really good when he played for a while in what we would now call a number 10 position. I think that was during the 86-87 league title winning season?

Danny, Sheedy had the vision to see everything in front of him and the ability to use it. I remember one game when Billy Bangbang sent him on to use the vacant left wing. Unfortunately he for got to tell somebody to get out there for Sheedy to find. As you say, never a winger.

In a similar way I always used to see Peter Reid as the man who held the ball to allow everyone time to get in position. Similarly, having been abroad for some years I couldn't see why people raved over Inchy until I saw him live and saw just how much work he got through. Mind you, for a long time I worked in places where TV was somewhat limited.

Ajay Gopal 14 Posted 22/07/2025 at 11:57:16

I think Moyes showed glimpses of his preferred players and positions towards the end of last season: a big striker up front, Ndiaye on the left, Alcaraz in the middle, McNeil on the right.

That is quite a decent attacking force – the problem is that we don't have any decent backup for the 3 behind the striker.

That is why we need one top-quality right-wing signing – Kubo, Hutchinson or Doak and preferably another attacking midfielder on a loan – Grealish, Gallagher or another.

Tony Abrahams 15 Posted 22/07/2025 at 12:23:49

The minute I saw a skilful Japanese winger I became excited until I read Sam's assessment @1.

I honestly thought every single Japanese footballer worked their socks off. But still something excites me about players like this!

Laurie Hartley 16 Posted 22/07/2025 at 12:34:00

Tom Fellows is the right winger I would like us to sign.

Danny O'Neill 17 Posted 22/07/2025 at 12:36:24

Mitoma at Brighton too.

Not only is he a great exciting and attacking footballer, he's done wonders for attracting day-tripping Japanese tourists to the AMEX and bolstering the tills in their club shop on match day!!

Paul Smith 18 Posted 22/07/2025 at 12:37:49

I prefer the old TW when clickbait news sites were ignored. It fills pages but adds little of relevance.

There are certain outlets that shouldn't be given any air time. NewsNow or TeamTalk is one of them.

Robert Tressell 19 Posted 22/07/2025 at 12:48:27

Sheedy would probably not play as a winger these days, he would probably play as one of two more advanced midfielders in a 4-3-3 with a bit of licence to roam.

There would be a fast wing / forward playing wide of him.

Sean Bennett 20 Posted 22/07/2025 at 14:56:56

If we get Kubo, he is explosively fast, very skillful, can dribble past multiple players, can cross a ball, can cut inside, creates chances for team mates, scores goals, and he will run at a full-back and turn him inside out.

He can play on both wings, No 10, or upfront. He gives us various options in the final 3rd and is worth every penny of the alleged fee of approx £34.6M.

I think we could offer £30M plus add-ons and performance related bonuses rising to £40M to get the deal done; personal terms shouldn't be an issue.

And Real Madrid have a 50% sell-on clause inserted in the sale to Real Sociedad.

I like the idea of Kubo,Doak or Hutchinson playing out there,but get the feeling that none of them will end up here.Don’t know why but players with pace and talent seem to pass us by for some reason.None of them are free of question marks against their names however but I’m sure they could make a significant impact on games.I think we will most likely end up with the likes of Fellows from West Brom,probably a level below the others but nonetheless a significant improvement.I also like Hackney from Middlesbrough for midfield,and again,he should be attainable for us.There are a number of other quite gettable players for us in midfield who are not big names or marquee type signings but are young and hungry enough to a job for us and strengthen our midfield.RB’s seem thinner on the ground but we desperately need one,so this seems where a loan or free agent is going to be added to the mixThe way things are going it looks like we are all going to have to lower our expectations after the initial euphoria of new ownership,more money available etc at the start of the summer.

24 Posted 22/07/2025 at 18:36:08

I am pretty confident we will get a decent RW along the lines of Kubo etc. But it could even be in the last week of the window.

Kubo, like all the others, isn't Vinicius Junior level but he's a good footballer and I think fans would take to him.

A strategic move for him, and Kosugi the Japanese left back we're linked with, could see a lot of shirt sales in the Far East…

Sam Hoare 26 Posted 22/07/2025 at 19:00:53

Tony @15, perhaps unfair of me to say he's not hard working. But he's no Ndiaye in that regard, or hasn't been so far.

Maybe Moyes could change that.

Paul Kernot 27 Posted 23/07/2025 at 01:56:56

On the subject of inverted wingers, I recall Rhiad Marez did ok with 2 PL clubs, both of whom won the league with him in the squad.

Frank Wolfe 28 Posted 23/07/2025 at 02:29:48

Agree with Tony (15). I know it's a very general statement, but I've always thought that we should be looking at more Japanese players. Technically they are excellent, tough, hard working and have a great attitude. Apart from Mitoma and Endo there are whole bunch playing in Europe, Celtic etc. I would have thought they'd be a good fit for Moyes and Everon.

Steve Brown 30 Posted 23/07/2025 at 09:49:22

What's Japanese for "track back, son"?

Mark Murphy 31 Posted 23/07/2025 at 10:19:12

“The Japanese Messi”Anyone remember “the Scottish Rooney”?Alan, who is/was Billy Bangbang??

Andrew Ellams 33 Posted 23/07/2025 at 10:55:37

Laurie @ 16, Kubo is a an upgrade on Fellows. Lightning quick, brought up via the Barcelona academy and the type of player that gets fans up off their seats.