Chelsea is following Kodai Sano, a 22-year-old Japanese midfielder from NEC, but faces competition from other major clubs in England and Germany. Manchester United is one of the teams tracking Sano. A report indicates that RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring the player. In January, Ajax made a concrete approach for Sano, but his club NEC refused to sell him. Sano has two caps for Japan and is under contract with the Dutch club until June 2028. His current Transfermarkt market value is €12 million. During the February 2026 transfer window, NEC reportedly rejected a €20 million bid from Nottingham Forest, and their asking price was cited as a minimum of €20 million. During the same period, rejected offers from Ajax were reportedly around €12.5 million plus add-ons.