Leeds United at odds over signing Ao Tanaka amid awkward situation
Leeds United are at odds over whether to sign Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka before the transfer deadline, according to Rheinische Post.
The German newspaper reported via their print edition on Thursday (31 August, page B6) that there are no “valid offers” from Leeds for the 24-year-old currently on the table as they mull over whether to complete a late move.
It is understood that Fortuna want to sell Tanaka so they can reinvest funds into their squad while the Japan international is himself “in an awkward position” as he’d like to leave the 2.Bundesliga club.
Rheinische Post also reports that Tanaka isn’t in shape, which is why he was an unused substitute in Fortuna Dusseldorf’s 5-0 win over Elversberg at the weekend.
Interestingly, the newspaper adds that “some club insiders from Leeds” thought Tanaka flew into the UK to complete a move to Elland Road on Monday. That, however, was Bayer Leverkusen’s Nadiem Amiri, who turned down a deal with the Championship club.
Tanaka no go
It doesn’t look as though Leeds will be signing Tanaka.
He’d have been a cheap option to add to the squad but the Japan World Cup star, who scored a winner against Spain in Qatar last year, doesn’t scream as being someone we want in the side.
It’s the final day of August and he’s still not up to full fitness, which is worrying.
He did have an injury scare in training at Fortuna this week but walked away unscathed and there’s also the small matter of the fact that a second-tier German side is happy to sell him.
Nothing about this sounds amazing.
Leeds have been linked with Glen Kamara, Matt O’Riley and Ilia Gruev in the final days of the transfer window as Daniel Farke looks to strengthen his midfield.
All of them are better options as they’ve played regularly in a top-tier league and in Europe.
Leeds don’t have that themselves this season but the quality of the Championship is easily that of the Scottish Premiership or the bottom half of the Bundesliga.
