Kubo faces pivotal year to rediscover his top form at Real Sociedad | OneFootball

Real Sociedad have begun pre-season with a focus on players seeking to rediscover peak form. Kubo needs a standout campaign to recapture the spark of his early days at the club after a year disrupted by injuries.

According to AS, the Japan international suffered a January injury that kept him out for several weeks and he struggled to regain rhythm late on. His momentum was further checked at the World Cup this summer, when he was hurt in Japan's opener and did not feature again.

The 25-year-old is contracted to Real Sociedad until 2029 with a 60 million euro clause, and Real Madrid retain 50% of his rights. There has been little noise around major bids at Anoeta this summer, so for now his future is not central to the market. He will aim to reassert himself under Pellegrino Matarazzo, who rates him highly.

The 2026-27 season will be Take Kubo's fifth at Real Sociedad, having joined in 2022 from Real Madrid after loans at Mallorca across two spells, Getafe and Villarreal. During his first three campaigns under Imanol Alguacil he became a key asset, drawing interest from Tottenham, Everton and even Bayern Munich.

His record for the club stands at 25 goals in 164 official matches. With plenty of career ahead, he cannot afford another stalled year if he is to avoid a plateau. Kubo is on holiday after the World Cup and will return to Zubieta after a short break.

Source: AS