Blues Eyeing Feyenoord Striker Ueda
Tuesday, 4th Aug 2026 13:13

TWTD understands Town are showing interest in Feyenoord’s Japanese international striker Ayase Ueda.

The Blues are on the lookout for a more senior frontman for the season ahead and Ueda fits that bill, having won 43 full Japan caps, scoring 18 times.

The 27-year-old has been with Feyenoord since August 2023 and has netted 37 goals in 78 Eredivisie games since then, 25 in 31 appearances last season.

Prior to his €8 million (£6.9 million) switch to the Rotterdam club, Ueda had spent a season in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, having been with Kashima Antlers before his move to Europe.

Ueda, who is six-foot tall, started all four of Japan’s games at this summer’s World Cup, scoring twice in the 4-0 victory over Tunisia with recent Blues signing Daizen Maeda operating behind him.

Whether Town will look to firm up their interest in Ueda, who has two years left on his contract, remains to be seen with the transfer window having a month still to run.

The Blues have signed one central striker this summer, Brazilian Emersonn, while manager Gary O’Neil has said he has been impressed by Chuba Akpom, whose loan from another Dutch club, Ajax, was made permanent at the end of last season due to an obligation in the deal struck a year ago.

George Hirst has been linked with a return to the Championship with Stoke City understood to be among the suitors.

Meanwhile, Town are continuing talks with Strasbourg regarding former loanee Julio Enciso, who is understood to be keen on a reunion with O’Neil, his manager at the Ligue 1 club in the second half of last season.

Photo: Aflo

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Bazza8564 added 13:17 - Aug 4 Decent stats, sounds as if this at a very early stage though.......
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dirtydingusmagee added 13:17 - Aug 4 Liking that if we can get him in .
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Geordietown68 added 13:20 - Aug 4 Please please please do this deal Mark Ashton
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IndependentlyBlue added 13:21 - Aug 4 We really are fishing in much different pools this season aren’t we?
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BerksBlue15 added 13:23 - Aug 4 Maybe being a PL team for the second time in three years makes us a more viable destination than last time when we were first time in 20+ years and very much odds on to go back down. Perhaps players feel like there's a realistic prospect of staying up and therefore are more willing to consider us as a destination... or perhaps it's all just paper talk!
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ElderGrizzly added 13:24 - Aug 4 Established relationship with Maeda on the pitch, but also does look like we are trying the Noah's Ark approach in getting Maeda a friend...
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cressi added 13:26 - Aug 4 Very good goalscoring record at clubs and also for Japan think he would be a astute signing.
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mojo added 13:26 - Aug 4 Looks to already be wearing our away strip, sideways.
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Monkey_Blue added 13:38 - Aug 4

I wouldn’t be upset if this happens but of the strikers we have Hirst is the one that we know for a fact will do the off the ball stuff required. He had a bad season last year but still got double figures which in a McKenna side is a lot for a no.9 given it’s the three behind who are set up to score goals. Be careful what you wish for. Hirst was better than Delap second half of the 24/25 season

joshITFCporter added 13:39 - Aug 4 Unbelievable player, would be absolutely ideal for us. Even at only 6ft, he's a beast in the air. Elite Finisher. For 17-20M, I'd absolutely love this a lot
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jdtractor96 added 13:47 - Aug 4 Hello hello! If we manage to get this guy and Enciso my word things will be coming together. Exciting times Town fans!
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Stato added 13:50 - Aug 4 yes Josh my guess is something in that 17 to 20m bracket will secure this lad and would add real competition up front. Hirst by comparison is not even a starter in the Scotland squad and Championship is his level. Hope this one happens
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Phil1969 added 13:50 - Aug 4 We’ve two flying Dutchmen…….. sang this in the 80s do we sing two jumping Japanese men ?
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Ferguson added 13:52 - Aug 4 Interesting that it appears the new boss rates Akpom. Perhaps he'll get more from him than KMK. Good.
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Cervantes added 13:54 - Aug 4 We've signed Maeda, Let's sign Ueda, And stave relegation off.
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JewellintheTown added 13:55 - Aug 4 Couple of Japanese hitmen up front. What's not to like?
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dogma added 13:56 - Aug 4 Very impressed with the Japanese team at the World Cup. Their work ethic was top class. Let’s hope this transfer goes through.
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pedrail added 13:59 - Aug 4 Ma-eda, U-eda, He/She/It-eda
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TimmyH added 13:59 - Aug 4 Had a prolific season in 2025/26...would be a good signing.
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Scuzzer added 13:59 - Aug 4 Very impressive performances in the world cup. A good age as well. Could be a great signing.
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Klassic_Ben added 14:04 - Aug 4

Don’t know much about him but having had a quick look at his stats for the last few seasons would be happy with this signing, fact is we need someone more consistent than Hirst - yeah he got 9 goals & done alright but weren’t a few pens + there’s a reason Azon was starting games ahead of him.

So that would potentially leave us with a strike force of Ueda, Enciso, Emersonn, Hirst & Akomp (with either Hirst or Akomp most likely to leave if any do)

What are the thoughts on that? I’d be pretty pleased tbh

Magic8 added 14:08 - Aug 4 Those that read this regularly may remember i suggested we go for Ueda...I'll only ask for a small fee if it goes through !
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churchmans81 added 14:11 - Aug 4 For those of us of ‘a certain age’, “I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so …”
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RetroBlue added 14:17 - Aug 4 ha ha, Yes... ... youre the same age or similar, as me then!
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blueoutlook added 14:19 - Aug 4 Here we go, everyone is suddenly an expert on another player. Be honest most have never heard of him until now. Suddenly,we must sign him, different class, awesome,on another level, absolute beast etc……. Most never knew who he was until this article. A quick google and then we have a lot of experts.
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