Season › 2024-25 › News The Rumour Mill Contact made with Real Sociedad over Takefusa Kubo Anjishnu Roy | 22/07/2025 20comments | Jump to last 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 (20) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Sam Hoare 1 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:09:25 Kubo has the sort of pace and trickery that would have fans on their feet though I wonder if he has the work rate that Moyes wants? Maybe a modern day Kevin Mirallas.At any rate Sociedad have organised a pre-season tour of Japan which would make it seem quite unlikely they'd part with their Japanese star in the short term. Alan J Thompson 2 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:09:47 I'm sorry but I'm a bit confused. This is another left footed right winger, and how did Harrison and Lindstrom affect the right back problem? 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. Geoff Lambert 4 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:46:39 Alan don't be confused here is just three left footed right wingers playing at the moment.Saka, Sala and Lamine Yamal.Wouldn't mind any of them starting for us on RW. 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. Alan J Thompson 6 Posted 22/07/2025 at 10:49:15 Geoff, you've missed out Jack Harrison 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? Alan J Thompson 13 Posted 22/07/2025 at 11:43:39 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 & he will run at a FB & turn him inside out can play on both wings,No10 or upfront gives us various options in the final 3rd worth every penny of the alleged fee of approx £34.6m. I think we could offer £30m + add ons & performance related bonuses rising to £40m to get deal done personal terms shouldn't be a issue. And Real Madrid have 50% sell on clause inserted in the sale to sociad Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb