Barcelona missed out on re-signing Celtic linked Takefusa Kubo due to bold demands made by the Japanese wonder-kid, director of youth football Xavier Vilajoana has told Catalunya Radio.
From Ryan Giggs at Manchester City, Zlatan Ibrahimović at Arsenal and Raul at Atletico Madrid, almost every club in world football has their own sad story of ‘one that got away’.
And Barcelona’s biggest regret might just be a Kawasaki-born 19-year-old who has taken La Liga by storm this season.
Kubo shattered record after record during four years at Barca’s feted La Masia academy from 2011 to 2015.
But the Spanish giants were forced release the Asian sensation from his contract five years ago after being found guilty of breaching FIFA regulations.
Just to rub salt into the wounds, Kubo is a Real Madrid player these days.
A teenage winger who has shades of a young Lionel Messi in those twinkling toes, the seven-time Japan international left Barcelona reeling when he put pen to paper with their biggest rivals last summer.
But why did the Kings of Catalunia miss their chance to sign one of the world’s hottest prospects for a second time?
“Kubo asked for much more than the £4.5 that Gustavo Maia (the new signing from Sao Paulo) cost,” Villajoana explains.
“He wanted certain guarantees, a certain length of contract and a certain salary.”
Kubo is yet to make his debut for newly crowned La Liga champions Madrid.
However, during a sparkling loan spell at relegation-threatened Mallorca, he has proved with every enthralling display that the hype is very much justified.
According to AS in June, Celtic are among ten clubs jostling to sign Kubo on another loan deal ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
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