Japanese gem in sight: will Kodai Sano be BVB's next coup? | OneFootball

His brother has already made the leap to the Bundesliga. It cannot be ruled out that Kodai Sano (22) will follow in the footsteps of his relative, who is three years older. Kaishu Sano has been playing successfully for 1. FSV Mainz 05 since the summer of 2024.

Kodai Sano is currently under contract in the Netherlands. In August 2023, the Japanese player moved from Fagiano Okayama to Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen. The central midfielder has made 37 appearances this season, scoring three goals and providing eight assists.

Nijmegen have emerged as the big surprise of this campaign. With two rounds remaining, the club sits in a sensational third place – one point ahead of Ajax Amsterdam and Twente Enschede. Sano has played a major role in the success of the six-time cup finalist, which has never won the trophy. He has earned two caps for Japan so far.

High-profile competition for Borussia

According to a report by TransferFeed, Borussia Dortmund are reportedly interested in the midfielder. But the 22-year-old Japanese international is not only on BVB’s radar. Heavyweights such as Manchester United, Chelsea and RB Leipzig are also closely monitoring the Japan international.

Sano, whose market value is currently estimated at €12 million, is still under contract with NEC until 2028. That signing him would not come cheap was already evident in February 2026, when Nijmegen rejected offers of €12.5 million from Ajax and more than €20 million from Nottingham Forest. His current club is reportedly demanding a fee well in excess of €20 million.

Photo: Getty Images

The versatile Sano prefers to play in central midfield, either as a box-to-box midfielder or a holding midfielder. However, he has also featured on the left flank. The 22-year-old stands out for his high work rate, vision and technical finesse. He is especially praised for his committed work off the ball and his ability to occupy spaces.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.