TSG Hoffenheim are closing in on the signing of Japanese midfielder Kodai Sano from NEC Nijmegen after submitting a renewed offer for the 22-year-old. The Bundesliga side saw an initial €15 million bid rejected last month, but Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports that a “serious” fresh approach has moved the transfer to the verge of completion.
Sano has established himself as a key figure in the heart of midfield for the Eredivisie club, attracting attention from several European sides. The player is the younger brother of Kaishu Sano, who represents Japan and plays for Bundesliga rivals Mainz. NEC previously valued the central midfielder at approximately €20 million, though the exact figure of Hoffenheim’s latest proposal remains undisclosed.
Stuttgart Interest and Financial Muscle
VfB Stuttgart have also been linked with a move for Sano, but Hoffenheim appear to have seized the initiative in recent days. The club’s capacity to invest has been strengthened by winger Bazoumana Touré’s impending transfer to Newcastle United for a fee in the region of €50 million. That incoming revenue is enabling significant squad changes ahead of the new season.
Hoffenheim have already secured five new players this summer, with Mats Rots, Patrick Wimmer, Cajetan Lenz, Alessandro Vogt and Sean Dulic all arriving at the club. The capture of Sano would mark their sixth acquisition and demonstrate clear ambition to reshape the first-team squad.
Imminent Completion
With sources describing the deal as imminent, an official announcement could follow once final details are settled. Sano would bring energy and technical quality to Hoffenheim’s midfield unit, adding depth to a department undergoing renovation. Should the transfer proceed, he would join his older brother Kaishu in Germany’s top flight, creating a unique family storyline in the division.