NEC Enlists Jorge Mendes to Market Kodai Sano

Following AZ’s lead with Kees Smit, NEC has also sought the expertise of agent Jorge Mendes. The Portuguese agent has been tasked with selling Kodai Sano for a significant fee this upcoming summer.

NEC is aiming for a substantial transfer fee for Kodai Sano, who is gaining attention both domestically and internationally. This presents the club with a promising opportunity, prompting management to leverage Mendes’ influential position. “As NEC, we cannot effectively navigate the global market alone,” explained General Director Wilco van Schaik in an interview with De Telegraaf.

However, there are concerns regarding the realism of the projected transfer fee. NEC hopes to secure a record amount for Sano, with figures around twenty million euros being discussed. The young Japanese player expressed his surprise at this valuation during an earlier interview with Volkskrant, stating, “That seems excessive. I consider myself modest; I have only a few goals and assists. Robin Roefs transferred for ten million to Sunderland, so I feel that twenty million is too high for me. I would need ten goals and fifteen assists to justify that amount.”