VfL Wolfsburg make offer for Japanese striker Okubo
AFP-German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg have made a transfer offer for Japan international striker Yoshito Okubo, his J-League team Vissel Kobe said Thursday.
Although the Japanese outfit is reluctant to let the 26-year-old leave, team executive Masahiro Wada said the club will discuss the proposal.
"We received an official letter from them. We cannot tell what will happen in the future, but I have to point out that Okubo has a contract remaining with our team," Wada told reporters.
"I suppose the German club realises that. We will hold discussions in the future."
Wada confirmed that he held one meeting with a representative of the Bundesliga side but declined to elaborate further.
The Sports Nippon newspaper said the German team was prepared to offer two billion yen (21 million dollars) as a transfer fee.
If the proposal goes ahead, Okubo will join his compatriot midfielder Makoto Hasebe, who currently plays for VfL Wolfsburg.
Okubo, who scored five goals in 32 caps as a Japan international, came to Kobe in 2007 with a four-year contract.
He has scored 64 goals in 146 J-League games. He also scored five goals in the 39 games he played for Spanish side Real Mallorca, for which he played for two seasons up to 2006.