Real Madrid loanee Kubo sent stern warning by Villarreal boss

Question marks exist over the Japan international’s future with him having barely featured during his loan stint with the Yellow Submarine.

Takefusa Kubo ‘must earn’ his place in the Villarreal line-up, insists head coach Unai Emery.

Kubo has been deprived of game time at La Ceramica having started in just two of the side’s 15 La Liga games so far.

In total, he has made 19 appearances this season but he has been a substitute in more than 60 percent of those matches.

“We are not here to give a player 10 games in a row if he doesn’t perform,” Emery declared, according to Goal.

“He is given a match and he must earn more. It is valid for the young players and for everyone. There is a requirement here and that is to win.”

The 19-year-old impressed greatly during his loan spell with Mallorca in 2019-20.

With Real Madrid unable to provide him any guarantee over consistent minutes despite his successful season, he was allowed to go on another loan spell so as to continue his development process.

It has been suggested that Villarreal could opt for early termination of Kubo’s loan with the player no longer in the manager’s plans for the remainder of the campaign.