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David Tully Jul 31st 2026
Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel says the Bundesliga side are not in a position where they “have to sell” Liverpool target Kaishu Sano this summer.
The Reds, Arsenal and Tottenham have all been linked with a move for the Japanese international, but when asked if his team are in a position to resist offers, Heidel replied:
“I won’t comment on any rumours or any of the clubs mentioned. We don’t have to sell Kaishu; we can afford to keep him.”
“If he stays, there will be many happy people in the team, the club, and everywhere around it. But it’s like always at Mainz 05. Should an offer come in that takes our breath away, we’ll have to consider it!”
Sano’s asking price is pretty steep
When reports of interest from Liverpool emerged a couple of weeks ago, it was claimed that Mainz were demanding around €60m (£51m) for their player.
Considering that the Merseysiders are expected to devote in excess of £100m to buy Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, it seems unlikely that there would be enough room in the budget to pursue Sano if the reported price tag is accurate.
Liverpool do want a midfielder
Speaking last month, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Reds did make an enquiry for Mateus Fernandes prior to his move to Tottenham. He also suggested that it was proof that sporting director Richard Hughes is “working on [signing] midfielders.”
It remains to be seen whether the Reds do actually reinforce the middle of the park before the transfer window closes. The interest in Fernandes and Sano may simply be down to the club anticipating a departure.
Curtis Jones has attracted strong interest from Inter Milan, but so far, the Serie A champions have not matched the player’s valuation. If he does depart, it may well open the door for a new midfield signing.
David Tully
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.