Ayase Ueda has become a transfer target for several Premier League clubs after a 25-goal Eredivisie season for Feyenoord, with Everton, Brighton and Leeds United all reported to be watching the 27-year-old forward. Feyenoord, which finished second in the league, is not talking in modest terms either: the Dutch club is said to want somewhere in the €30 million to €35 million range.
That level of interest makes sense now because Japan is due to line up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the coming days, and Ueda’s form has put him in the conversation well beyond the Dutch top flight. He also added one Europa League goal for Feyenoord, a small detail on paper but another marker of a season that has made him one of the more closely tracked forwards linked to the move market.
The names attached to the chase point to different needs. Everton is reported to be preparing an offer in the region of £18 million to £20 million, Brighton’s interest is tied to squad depth, and Leeds United is said to be looking for a finisher who can help it stay established in the Premier League. Ueda’s profile fits all three ideas: goals, mobility and enough age profile to attract clubs thinking beyond one season.
But the numbers do not line up yet. Everton’s reported offer sits below Feyenoord’s asking range, and that gap is described as the biggest obstacle in front of any deal. On current figures, the club that scored the most freely is also the one holding the firmer price, which means interest alone will not move this quickly unless one of the suitors closes the distance.
Japan’s first group game is scheduled for Sunday afternoon against the Netherlands at 4:00 p.m. EST, which gives the striker another stage before club talks can sharpen. For now, Ueda is the player at the center of it: a forward coming off a 25-goal league season, a second-place finish and a transfer market that is interested, but not yet aligned.
