'Engine room'- Tottenham Hotspur eyeing Bundesliga enforcer likened to Moises Caicedo

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 7:13 AM ET

Journo says Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano is a name to watch out for Tottenham fans

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing a new holding midfielder this summer.

The North Londoners have added defender Kota Takai and attacker Mohammed Kudus to Thomas Frank’s ranks. They also have triggered Morgan Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause last week, but Nottingham Forest seeking legal action over the player’s pursuit has put a deal on hold.

Irrespective of what happens in that saga, Tottenham will need to sign another new face in the engine room. This is because opposition teams found it easy to bypass Spurs’ midfield often last season. Based on the latest reports, Fenerbahce remain in talks with Spurs to sign Yves Bissouma. With one year left on his contract, the club bosses are planning to move on the Mali international this summer.

Bissouma potentially leaving White Hart Lane will create space in the midfield department, allowing Tottenham to bring in a new face, and an interesting name has now emerged.

Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano on Tottenham radar

Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Tottenham are “big fans” of Mainz midfielder Kaishu Sano.

“Kaishu Sano, who is at the Bundesliga side Mainz, is another player that Tottenham really like,” Ben Jacobs said on Last Word on Spurs.

“He’s an extremely combative number six who is capable of moving between the lines, winning aerial duels, but a bit like Moises Caicedo, is a very progressive passer, who you sort of see a lot of underrated attacking qualities about.

“So, he’s not just your standard engine room and ball winner. He’s also very good at, after he’s won it, getting his head up and working out where there’s an incisive pass to be played. And that’s why he is so effective playing in a counterattacking side.

“So, that’s also maybe another name to watch.”

Kaishu Sano thrived in his debut Bundesliga season

Mainz signed Kaishu Sano from J1 league club Kashima Antlers last July, and he quickly became a fixture in their midfield. He enjoyed a strong debut season in the Bundesliga, starting all 34 games. The Japanese certainly showed the ability to not only break up opposition’s attacks, but also pick accurate passes from deep and keep the game ticking over.

A defensive midfielder by trade, the 24-year-old is exactly the profile Tottenham are missing in their engine room. Sano could become the glue in Spurs’ midfield, complementing creative talents such as Maddison, Kulusevski and Gray. It remains to be seen whether Mainz will sell him after just one season but the North Londoners must test their resolve with a bid.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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