Leeds United are sitting 15th in the Premier League right now, six points clear of the relegation zone, and there’s a feeling that they’re doing enough to stay up this season.
Confidence is quietly growing behind the scenes that survival will be achieved, and the club have already started laying the groundwork for strengthening the squad in the summer.
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Bringing in a new goalkeeper looks set to be a priority, and there’s also a real push to put themselves in a position to make a strong move for Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney.
However, their interest in Hackney suggests that they are ready to move on from a couple of their midfielders. Ao Tanaka seems to be a player who could be forced out of Elland Road next summer.
Leeds will sell Ao Tanaka to make way for Hayden Hackney
Ao Tanaka has not been a regular in the team this season and was an unused substitute in the last three Premier League games for Leeds.
He started in the FA Cup win over Birmingham City on Sunday, and while he was better than some of the others, it was not an outstanding performance.
Joel Piroe replaced the midfielder towards the end of the game, and it is unlikely that he will be starting against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Leeds’ interest in Hackney suggests that the club are prepared to add more quality to their midfield after signing Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff last summer.
However, the Middlesbrough midfielder’s arrival could mean that a couple of midfielders could get sold in the next transfer window.
Tanaka’s diminished status in the squad suggests that Leeds are prepared to force him out of the club to bring in one more midfielder in the summer.
He was seen as a revelation last season, but is now fighting to save his Leeds career in the second half of the ongoing campaign.
Tanaka looks like someone who will leave in the summer
The midfielder kept things ticking over against Birmingham, but it wasn’t a performance that really stood out. He didn’t do quite enough to unlock a stubborn Championship defence on Sunday.
Tanaka managed one key pass, but there were no assists to show for his efforts, and his overall distribution felt slightly off compared to the standards he’s usually capable of.
Ao Tanaka vs Birmingham – Match Performance Breakdown
A detailed statistical look at Ao Tanaka’s passing and creative contribution
during Leeds United’s clash against Birmingham.
Statistic Ao Tanaka
Assists 0
Key Passes 1
Crosses (Accurate) 0 (0)
Accurate Passes 30/36 (83%)
Passes in Opposition Half (Acc.) 10/13 (77%)
Passes in Own Half (Acc.) 20/23 (87%)
Long Balls (Accurate) 1/3 (33%)
A few misplaced passes crept in, and he didn’t find his teammates with the same sharpness or consistency we’ve come to expect. In truth, it was a solid but unspectacular display.
If he wanted to firmly put himself in Daniel Farke’s plans for the trip to Aston Villa, he probably needed to offer a bit more.
With the Japanese international struggling to impose himself, there’s a growing sense that a summer move could be on the cards, giving him the chance to reset and get his career back on track elsewhere.