Mainz 05 rejects €30m Crystal Palace offer for Kaishu Sano

Mainz 05 has rejected a transfer offer for Japanese international midfielder Kaishu Sano on the final day of the summer transfer window. Reports indicate that Crystal Palace submitted a bid in the region of €30 million (approximately £24 million or 5.5 billion yen) to secure the 25-year-old.

Mainz officials, including sporting CEO Christian Heidel, reportedly declined the offer as the club was unwilling to let their key player depart without sufficient time to find a replacement. While Crystal Palace had reportedly prepared for the move, including having a private jet waiting at Frankfurt Airport, negotiations between the two clubs failed to reach an agreement.

Mainz has maintained a high valuation for Sano, with some reports suggesting the club was seeking closer to €60 million. Sano, who joined Mainz from Kashima Antlers in 2024, remains under contract until 2028 and will stay with the Bundesliga side for the upcoming season.