​Real Sociedad reluctant to release attacking core Takefusa Kubo to join Japan U23 for the Paris Olympics

According to reports from "Mundo Deportivo", Real Sociedad is not inclined to release their attacking core, Takefusa Kubo, to join Japan's U23 team for the Paris Olympics, as they believe it would affect their preparations for the new season.

Japan's U23 team secured their spot in the Paris Olympics by defeating Iraq 2-0 in the semi-finals of the U23 Asian Cup. The Japan Football Association firmly believes that Takefusa Kubo is looking forward to representing the team in this edition of the Olympics. In fact, the head coach of Japan's U23 team, Takeshi Oiwa, openly stated that the Real Sociedad star has expressed his desire to participate in the Olympics again, but ultimately, it depends on the club.

Considering that Real Sociedad is still competing on multiple fronts this season, having reached the round of 16 in the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the team is undoubtedly in a relatively fatigued state. In such circumstances, Real Sociedad seems reluctant to allow Takefusa Kubo to participate in the Olympics.

In fact, as early as the beginning of this year, when Takefusa Kubo represented Japan at the Asian Cup, the club expressed dissatisfaction. Real Sociedad's football director, Roberto Olabe, told the media, "Takefusa Kubo has already participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and this year's Asian Cup, but you have to consider the players' health issues. The current schedule is too congested, and we must take care of the players."

The football matches of the 2024 Olympics will take place from July 24th to August 10th in seven different cities in France, while the first round of La Liga next season is expected to officially start on August 16th. This means that if Takefusa Kubo participates in the Olympics, he will inevitably be unable to join the team for this summer's preseason, affecting the preparations for the new season.

In reality, clubs are not obligated to release players to participate in events such as the Olympics, the U20 World Cup, or any competitions held outside the FIFA schedule. A source from Real Sociedad told "Mundo Deportivo", "If Takefusa Kubo is called up by Japan's U23 team and the player is willing to participate in the Olympics again, then the club will negotiate with the player and try to reach an agreement."