Ao Tanaka
Ao Tanaka has found gametime hard to come by this season. (Credit: Imago)
Leeds United splashed the cash this summer in their efforts to build a team good enough to survive the Premier League this season. The 49ers did a really decent job with the recruitment despite complaints from fans.
There were some standout players including Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It was not a complete success, as huge question marks still exist when it comes to players like Lucas Perri and Sebastiaan Bornauw. So far, most of the key players signed in the summer have made a huge impact on the team.
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Leeds signing 10 new players brought increased competition across the squad. And this also gave Daniel Farke a wide range of players to count on as the season progressed.
Ao Tanaka could be set for Leeds United exit
The Whites added Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach to an already stacked Leeds United midfield in the summer. In the Championship last year, the club could boast of one of the best midfield units in the league. Ao Tanaka was a sensation when he joined in the last campaign, and was even voted Players’ player of the Year. However, that form has not continued into this season, and now there is some concerning news.
According to TEAMtalk, up to three clubs are eyeing his situation ahead of the summer window. The Japanese international has managed just 67 minutes in the Premier League since the start of January. The report confirms that the three clubs are German, with Schalke and Hannover showing serious interest in the midfielder. Both sides are on the cusp of securing a return to the Bundesliga next season, and see Tanaka as a valuable addition to their squads.
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What do Leeds do with Tanaka this summer?
Per the report, Leeds United are undecided over the future of the midfielder. It has become increasingly clear over the past couple of weeks that Daniel Farke prefers other start over him in the middle of the park. So the upcoming window presents the perfect chance for the club to cash in on him if he has many suitors available. Tanaka has been a great servant to the club, but he just seems to have fallen out of favour at Elland Road for some reason. Hopefully his future is decided at the end of the campaign.