United plot surprise swoop for World Cup maestro who left Casemiro a “shadow of his former self” – report

Manchester United are facing a fierce race with their Premier League rivals to sign Mainz 05’s 25-year-old midfielder, Kaishu Sano, according to a new report. World Cup Star Despite suffering a heart-breaking last-minute elimination at the hands of Brazil, Japan – spearheaded by the all-action Sano – enjoyed a superb World Cup campaign. Picked in the tricky Group F alongside the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden, the Blue Samurai narrowly missed out on first place following a 1-1 draw with Sweden. This set up the unenviable task of facing Brazil in the first knockout round, though Japan showed no fear in the face of the footballing heavyweight. Hajime Moriyasu’s side began the match in Houston with the same pace and purpose they have become known for, thoroughly outplaying the Seleção, which included Matheus Cunha and Casemiro in their ranks. At the heart of this excellent first-half display was Sano, who scored his first international goal after breaking onto a loose pass by Danilo. He powered past Casemiro, who looked every bit of his 34 years of age, to finish excellently into the bottom corner of Alisson’s goal. While chasing Sano, described the commentator described the five-time Champions League winner as looking “a shadow of his former self”. Delight turned to disaster for Japan in the second half, however, as Brazil recovered to win 2-1, courtesy of a Casemiro header and a well-taken finish by Gabriel Martinelli at the death. Defensive Midfielder Primarily a defensive midfielder for Mainz, Sano possesses a tireless engine, capable of lung-bursting recovery runs across the entire ninety minutes. He is neat in possession, though his long-range passing is something of a weakness. Signed by the Bundesliga side in 2024 from Kashima Antlers in Japan, Sano has two years remaining on his contract at the Mewa Arena. Mainz are understood to be asking for a fee in the region of £43-52 million, according to German outlet Bild. Japanese newspaper Nikkan Sports (as relayed by BuliNews) claims Liverpool are “showing strongest interest” in striking a deal. However, United and Arsenal are also mentioned as suitors, while Borussia Dortmund are eyeing a raid on their domestic rivals as well. While the Red Devils are undoubtedly targeting midfielders to revamp their engine room this summer, it remains to be seen whether they would invest that type of sum in a player who only has two years of experience in Europe under his belt. Interestingly, United have also been linked with a move for Sano’s brother, Kodai, who shone for Dutch side NEC Nijmegen last season. Featured Image David Ramos via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.