NEC Nijmegen midfielder Kodai Sano has admitted he found life difficult in the January transfer window, when Nottingham Forest tried to sign him.
Sano has been speaking to Forza NEC. The subject of the January bid from Nottingham Forest was put to him.
NEC held firm at that point, with technical director Carlos Aalbers later admitting they spoke to Sano for an hour about their decision to reject the bids for him.
Nottingham Forest’s January bid
Sano accepted the situation but admits that the Premier League interest was a distraction.
“It was difficult; there was a lot of noise from the outside,” he said, reflecting on the pressure that built around him.
Despite that, he insisted he found clarity once he stepped onto the pitch. “During the match, I forget everything. Then I focus solely on the game.”
For now, Sano is keeping his head down and refusing to be drawn into transfer talk.
“I am not thinking about a transfer yet. I want to focus on the matches. Qualifying for the Champions League and winning the cup with NEC is my goal.”
Summer move still possible
Whether Nottingham Forest do return in the summer will be dependent on their Premier League status. With relegation a possibility right now, transfer business is surely off the table.
They have been encouraged to return though. A report at the beginning of February stated NEC were looking to reward Sano with a transfer this summer after he stayed in January.
There’s even been questions about whether NEC rejecting the bid was a smart one. Nottingham Forest’s offer for the 22-year-old has been described as insanity.
Fortunately for the Dutch club, he appears to be staying on track and focusing on performing on the pitch than anything else.
That may be the smart move. Continued improved performances are only likely to keep the suitors like Nottingham Forest interested.