Korean Media Amazed by Ayase Ueda: Achieves Feat Son Heung-min Never Did, But Cannot Move to the Premier League Immediately

Feyenoord Japanese international striker Ayase Ueda officially transferred to Ligue 1 powerhouse Lille on August 31 local time. His new club will compete in this season's UEFA Champions League, and the two sides signed a four-year contract running until 2030.

Korean media marvels at Ayase Ueda: Achieves a feat Son Heung-min has never accomplished, but cannot immediately make a move to the Premier League.

On the same day that Japan's leading striker's transfer was finalized, the Korean edition of football publication FourFourTwo published an article commenting on the move, with the headline: "Japanese football sheds tears of regret, the road to the Premier League remains distant."

The report stated: "Ayase Ueda is the main striker driving Japan's national team attack. In the 2025-26 season, he fully realized his talent, scoring an astonishing 25 goals in 31 Eredivisie appearances and winning the Eredivisie Golden Boot. Even Son Heung-min has never achieved 25 goals in a single season."

"However, Ayase Ueda's final choice was not the Premier League, but Ligue 1 giants Lille. Although this transfer can be considered a successful step up into one of Europe's top five leagues, it also means his plan to challenge the Premier League has been postponed."

Korean media continued its analysis: "Japanese football has entered a new era. Kaoru Mitoma, Daichi Kamada, Wataru Endo, as well as Hidemasa Morita, Daizen Maeda, and Zion Suzuki, have brought the number of Japanese players in the Premier League to 10. But Eredivisie Golden Boot winner Ayase Ueda has gone to France, meaning fans hoping to see another Japanese star reach the Premier League will have to keep waiting."

Previously, Premier League clubs such as Leeds United and Everton were reported to have shown interest in him. However, Ayase Ueda chose France as a new starting point, a decision that also surprised Korean media. Japanese netizens shared their views, and the following are selected comments:

●He is now 28 years old and has signed a four-year contract. Ignoring age, the end of the second year or the winter of the third year of the contract could be a window for a Premier League challenge, but by then he will be approaching 30. Without an exceptionally outstanding performance, the barrier to entering the Premier League will become very high. Wataru Endo, who moved to England at the same age, was already the Bundesliga's top player in duels and a team captain, with outstanding performances. Even so, his move to Liverpool also involved some luck, including another team's transfer plans falling through and an urgent replacement need. Therefore, I hope Ayase Ueda can challenge for the league Golden Boot from his first season and deliver a performance of that level!

●If he can perform well in Ligue 1, he will still have opportunities to transfer to the Premier League during his contract period, and I hope he gives his all. Conversely, it can also be understood that there were no sufficiently serious Premier League offers at this stage, and he still needs to continue improving his ability. His physical attributes are suitable for Ligue 1, but Ligue 1 has many speed-based players, so I look forward to seeing him establish himself through his finishing ability and other strengths.

●Everything is meaningless without playing time. Competition for the center-forward position is intense, and if he can get consistent playing opportunities at Lille, this will be a great transfer. Competing with Giroud for a place will be a major challenge. If he can secure a starting role within the year, his personal value will increase further. Overall, this is a good transfer.