Liverpool will reportedly prioritise signing 23-year-old Japanese international Takefusa Kubo if Mohamed Salah departs from Anfield in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Takefusa Kubo is the subject of interest from Liverpool. The Reds are scouring the market for a wide attacker heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding Mohamed Salah’s long-term future. So, the Real Sociedad winger has emerged as the top target to replace the Egyptian international.
Takefusa Kubo and his career so far
Takefusa Kubo has established himself as one of the best young prospects in La Liga since joining Real Sociedad from Real Madrid. A native of Kawasaki, the Asian attacker spent his formative years in his homeland, although he was also part of Barcelona’s fabled La Masia setup for a few seasons.
The 23-year-old returned to Spain in July 2019, with Real Madrid signing him from FC Tokyo. However, Kubo could not establish a foothold in the first-team squad at the Santiago Bernabeu, embarking on multiple loan spells before Real Sociedad secured his services nearly three years ago.
While the Japanese international has not been a highly productive winger, he has enjoyed a solid 2024/25 campaign. Kubo has contributed to 11 goals in 43 appearances across all competitions, finding the back of the net seven times and providing four assists. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Liverpool.
Premier League adventure beckons?
Takefusa Kubo has been on Liverpool’s radar for a long time. The Reds are in a spot of bother over Mohamed Salah’s long-term future, with the Egyptian international entering the final few months of his contract. While Liverpool will be desperate to keep Salah at Anfield beyond the summer transfer window, they want to keep their options open if he leaves.
So, several candidates, including Rodrygo, have emerged on Liverpool’s radar, with Kubo also a viable target for the Merseyside club. The Japanese international has a release clause of €60 million in his contract with La Liga club Real Sociedad.
While it is unclear if La Real will point to Kubo’s release clause to part ways with him in the summer transfer window, he has the potential to justify the outlay of €60 million. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool will dip into the market to replace Salah in the coming months.