PSV complete signing of Japanese NEC midfielder Kodai Sano

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sano-kodai/vBwiuxMd/"]Sano[/a], 22, joined [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/okayama/vDpqgnYn/"]Fagiano Okayama[/a] in August 2023 for a reported fee of €650,000. The defensive midfielder has since become a crucial player for NEC, for whom he played 98 games across all competitions. Sano was instrumental in NEC's third-place finish last season, their best in club history.[/p][p]The Nijmegen club reported a "club record fee" for Sano.[/p][p]The 2-time Japanese international was in the squad for NEC's maiden UEFA Champions League match on Tuesday against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/olympiacos-piraeus/hnzvnHPS/"]Olympiacos[/a], but refused to play after an agreement was reached between NEC and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a].[/p][embed guid="89b7caf6-f149-4756-b06a-3ad837dc5f4e" url="https://x.com/psv/status/2086060511611719949?s=46" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]“I see this transfer as the ideal next step in my career,” [/b]Sano said on the club website.[/p][p][b]“PSV are a top club; you can see that in everything they do. What’s more, the head coach’s character and style of play really appeal to me. He even speaks a little Japanese, thanks to his own time at JEF United. That’s brilliant, of course. I can’t wait to take to the pitch here. I’m going to give my all for PSV, day in, day out.”[/b][/p][p]Sano had been a popular transfer target for longer, with Crystal Palace and Hoffenheim reportedly coming close to signing him in January and earlier this summer. A Hoffenheim move broke down in July, giving PSV the chance to swoop up Sano, who'll fill in for the injured Jerdy Schouten.[/p][infobox id="383e2abc-afe3-4139-8e06-aa4254ac57ee" /]