Sota Kitano attracted interest from both Austria Wien and Red Bull Salzburg. Jürgen Werner, the sports director, indicated that an agreement with Red Bull Salzburg was almost certain. Austria Wien found it challenging to compete with the financial strength of Red Bull Salzburg. Kitano, who was a player for Cerezo Osaka, was one of Austria Wien's transfer targets, as Werner mentioned during a discussion on "Sky | DAB Der Audiobeweis." The involvement of Salzburg in the transfer negotiations ensured Kitano's move to their club, underscoring their capacity to outbid Austria Wien, which struggles to match high transfer fees compared to more affluent clubs.