Ajax from the Eredivisie has made a €15 million offer for a Japanese midfielder, potentially setting a new internal transfer record within the league.

Japanese football currently stands as the strongest force in Asia and is nearing the level of Europe’s top leagues, with hundreds of players abroad in major European competitions and many serving as mainstays in elite leagues.

According to Italian transfer expert Romano’s latest report, Eredivisie giant Ajax is keen on 22-year-old Japanese midfielder Kodai Sano and has made an official bid of €15 million. If NEC Nijmegen accepts Ajax’s offer, Sano’s transfer fee of €15 million will set a new record for internal transfers within the Eredivisie, making him the highest-priced player in such a move and a testament to the quality of Japanese players.

The 22-year-old Kodai Sano stands 1.76 meters tall, is right-footed, and plays as a midfielder. His market value on Transfermarkt is estimated at €6 million. This season in the Eredivisie, he has appeared 19 times, all as a starter, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists.

From my personal perspective, Japanese players possess strong skills and solid fundamentals. Their decision to go abroad is pragmatic, with the Belgian and Dutch leagues often serving as the first stepping stones for many young Japanese talents in Europe. Once they prove themselves there, they move on to the top five leagues, progressing steadily. In contrast, China’s national team often talks about the big five leagues, yet currently, no player has established themselves as a regular starter in any mainstream foreign league. Hopefully, China will produce new stars like Sun Jihai, Yang Chen, and Fan Zhiyi again.