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Crystal Palace are ‘looking at a shock move’ for Mainz star Kaishu Sano as they are keen to bring the midfielder to Selhurst Park, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The Pierre Sage era has begun on a frustrating note, with the Eagles suffering back-to-back defeats in their opening two Premier League games.
Now, the south London outfit are turning their attention towards the market in search of further additions, with Europa League football also on the horizon and reinforcements required.
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They are set to sign Honest Ahanor from Atalanta on loan, with the deal forming part of an arrangement with Chelsea that will see the defender move to Stamford Bridge next year when the loan deal ends.
However, Crystal Palace recently missed out on Torino talent Alieu Njie, with Fiorentina swooping to secure the signature of the attacker.
The Eagles have been scouring the market for a major midfield addition, with Sano now identified as a target who ‘fits that bill perfectly’ and is available for around £40m on deadline day.
The Japan international has been linked with several Premier League sides this summer, while Crystal Palace could now offer him an avenue into English football and the midfielder would be receptive to the opportunity.
| Season | Position |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 15th |
| 2024–25 | 12th |
| 2023–24 | 10th |
| 2022–23 | 11th |
| 2021–22 | 12th |
The south London outfit watched the midfielder during Mainz’s weekend clash with Paderborn as they weighed up whether to take their pursuit further.
Sano remains a pivotal figure in the Mainz midfield and has two years left on his contract, leaving the Bundesliga outfit with little reason to loosen their grip on the Japanese without a substantial offer.
The deal could be a difficult one to do given the time constraints in the window and Palace fans may question why it has taken the club until deadline day to activate a pursuit for the talented midfielder.
Sano has been capped on 16 occasions by Japan at international level and if he moves to Crystal Palace he will join a growing Japanese contingent in the Premier League.
Out of the Japan World Cup squad, Zion Suzuki, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ao Tanaka, Daichi Kamada and Daizen Maeda currently play in the Premier League.
As such, a move to Crystal Palace from Mainz is likely to be hugely attractive for Sano, but the jury is out on whether it will happen today.
