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What's the rumour?
According to a report from the Spanish media outlet Marca, Real Madrid and Barcelona are in a bidding war over Japanese prodigy, Takefusa Kubo. The player is also known for his nickname, Take.
In case you didn't know...
Take is one of the teenagers who signed for Catalan giants in 2011 to play in the Under 17s. However, with a ban on signing underaged players in 2015, Barcelona were forced to release him on a free transfer. Take currently features for Japanese club FC Tokyo and will turn 18 this year.
The young prodigy excels when deployed as a central attacking midfielder and is known for his vision and maturity to create chances for his teammates. Combined with superior technique, his composure on the ball sets him apart and which is why European heavyweights are after him.
The heart of the matter
According to reports, Barcelona are working desperately for his return but interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain keeps their pursuit harder. The Blaugrana had to let him go when they were handed ban from registering new players back in 2015.
Real Madrid are interested in securing the services of Japanese prodigy but Take has reportedly an agreement with their arch-rivals to sign for Barcelona if he returns to Europe after 18.
Moreover, the Catalan giants were confident that they had closed the deal two months back but obstacles kept coming their way which is why they were unable to secure the Japanese prodigy.
Rumour rating: 6/10
While there is no doubt that there is interest for the young Japanese, it remains to be seen which club Take chooses in future. It is unlikely that the 17-year-old would choose any other club than Barcelona as he has already reached an agreement for him.
What's next?
After having secured a 0-0 draw against Huesca last night in the LaLiga, the Catalan giants turn their focus in the Champions League where they host Manchester United for the return leg of Quarter Finals.
Real Madrid have little left to play for in the campaign as they are way behind leaders Barcelona. Los Blancos will face Leganes in the LaLiga.
