Japan's Takefusa Kubo, left, is seen on July 31, 2021, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, at Kashima Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan playmaker Takefusa Kubo will make his second loan move to Real Mallorca from his parent club Real Madrid, sources close to the matter told Kyodo News on Tuesday.

       The 20-year-old, who helped Japan reach the semifinals during the Tokyo Olympics this summer, will have a medical before rejoining the Spanish side he was on loan to during the 2019-2020 season.

       Mallorca were relegated that season, but won promotion back to La Liga for the upcoming campaign. Kubo was out on loan at Villarreal and Getafe last season.

       He had a choice to make between Mallorca and Real Sociedad for this term and chose Mallorca as Sociedad, who finished fifth last season, have more competition for places. Kubo's delayed start to the season due to his participation in the Olympics also meant it would have taken even more time to settle in and play.

       Mallorca, although with a different manager and players, provide a familiar environment for Kubo with a season already spent at the club.

       The sources said there is no option to make the move permanent following the latest loan move, with Real Madrid hoping to give Kubo more experience in his third season in La Liga.

       Kanagawa Prefecture-native Kubo joined Barcelona's academy in his fourth year in elementary school before returning to Japan in 2015 after the club was found to have breached a rule over the international transfer of youth players.

       Kubo played for FC Tokyo and Yokohama F Marinos in the J-League first division before signing for Real Madrid in the summer of 2019.

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