Ajax’s Bid for Kodai Sano and the Competition from Nottingham Forest

Ajax expressed keen interest in acquiring Kodai Sano from NEC throughout the winter transfer period, ultimately facing disappointment after NEC rejected their final offer, reportedly amounting to around fifteen million euros. Several other clubs, notably Nottingham Forest, were also vying for the Japanese player’s signature.

In a recent episode of the podcast “Kick Off,” Mike Verweij from De Telegraaf revealed that, intriguingly, an interview aired on NEC TV the day before a match in which Sano confirmed Ajax’s interest. He mentioned that an agreement for a 4.5-year contract was in place and expressed his willingness to make the move. However, he also disclosed that Nottingham Forest submitted a substantially higher bid on the final day of negotiations.

Carlos Aalbers, technical director of NEC, discussed the recent developments in detail during an interview with ESPN. He noted the heightened activity surrounding Sano’s potential transfer, stating, “There was a lot of commotion. After the match against AZ on Saturday evening, things became quite hectic. We received four concrete offers, and they attempted to influence Sano’s decision without our involvement.”