Crystal Palace wanted to sign 22-year-old Japanese international Kodai Sano from NEC Nijmegen on the final day of the winter transfer window.
According to an update by reputed English journalist Mike McGrath, Kodai Sano is the subject of interest from Crystal Palace. The Eagles are keen on reinforcing their first-team squad by signing a versatile midfielder in the final hours of the winter transfer window. So, the 22-year-old NEC Nijmegen mainstay has emerged as a target for the South London outfit.
However, Crystal Palace’s bid to sign the Tsuyama native has not been successful, with the Eredivisie club turning it down. Meanwhile, Sano is also a target for other well-known clubs, with Ajax and VfL Wolfsburg also failing with proposals to secure his services in the winter transfer window.
Kodai Sano has established himself as one of the most dependable midfielders in the Eredivisie since joining NEC Nijmegen from Fagiano Okayama in August 2023. Born in Tsuyama, the 22-year-old spent his formative years in Japan and graduated from the youth division at Yonago Kita High School.
The Japanese international has grown in stature during his spell with NEC Nijmegen, making nearly 100 appearances for the Eredivisie club thus far while chipping in with 12 goals and nine assists. Meanwhile, Sano’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs, including Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace’s interest in Kodai Sano is understandable. While Oliver Glasner has several top-class midfielders in his squad, Adam Wharton’s long-term future at Selhurst Park is uncertain amid his links with several high-profile Premier League clubs. Additionally, recent reports have suggested that Crystal Palace will be bracing for summer bids for the English international.
Several candidates have thus emerged on Crystal Palace’s wishlist, with Sano also a viable target. Although Wharton will not leave the South London club in the winter transfer window, signing a midfielder before the deadline should help them during the fixture pile-up in the coming months.
However, the Eagles have failed with their bid to sign the NEC Nijmegen midfielder, with the Eredivisie outfit also rebuffing Ajax and VfL Wolfsburg. All three clubs are now “weighing up deadline-day increased offers” as we approach the winter transfer window deadline. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace will hope this is the end of the rejected proposals, as they have also fallen short of landing Joel Ordonez.