Liverpool are still reportedly showing an interest in signing Mainz and Japan midfielder Kaishu Sano, and are willing to pay as much as £51m for his services.
The Reds have still only signed Victor Munoz this summer – Jeremy Jacquet’s arrival was sealed months ago – with Andoni Iraola outlining what to expect from the winger:
“We will have someone who will win the World Cup! We don’t know still if it’s going to be [Alexis] Mac Allister or Victor, but someone will win it. With Victor, I think we signed him in a moment where he’s very hungry, he’s ambitious, but he’s still humble and knows that he has to come very ready.
“I think he’s someone with some versatility – can play right, can play left, he has the work-rate also for all that we will require. Looking forward to having him here, even if we know that we will have to wait with him and Macca.”
New signings are required in several positions, including central midfield, and Sano is one player who has been linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.
Now, TEAMtalk report that the Reds could pay a sizeable £51m to snap him up ahead of next season, and are in fact “leading the chase” for his signature.
That said, Arsenal, Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund are all “tracking” the 25-year-old as well, and “have been in contact with his representatives.”
Could Kaishu Sano be Liverpool’s midfield solution?
Sano isn’t necessarily a big-name option for Liverpool, but he could be a shrewd addition to Iraola’s midfield, having scored an excellent goal for Japan against Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.
He averaged 2.2 aerial duel wins and 1.9 interceptions per game in the Bundesliga last season across 34 starts, highlighting the defensive nous he would add to the Reds’ midfield.
Liverpool could do with a player who brings more balance in a deeper role, with both Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister at their best with more freedom, and Sano could be ideal in that respect.
The Japanese is far from just a defensive midfielder, though, as his World Cup goal showed, but he could be just what Iraola is after as he looks to excel at Anfield.