12 G/A ‘Jude Bellingham-like’ midfielder back on Leeds United’s radar this summer – Report

VaselineMay 29, 2024

0 1 minute read

12 G/A ‘Jude Bellingham-like’ midfielder back on Leeds United’s radar this summer – Report

Leeds United are said to be back in the running for Japan international midfielder Ao Tanaka after his side Fortuna Dusseldorf missed out on promotion and the play-offs.

Leeds’ plans for next season may already be materializing behind the scenes just days after failing to secure promotion at Wembley.

It leaves them stuck in the second tier for another season, where Daniel Farke will require further investment in his squad from now on.

Leeds United back in the race for Ao Tanaka

In late August 2023, Leeds were quite frequently linked with a move for Japan international midfielder Ao Tanaka.

Playing for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the 2.Bundesliga, the 25-year-old would have been available for £2.5m after SportBild claimed Leeds had expressed an interest via an email enquiry.

Now, after Dusseldorf also missed out on top-flight promotion thanks to their playoff misery, Japanese outlet Hochi.News claim Leeds are back in contention for him.

Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart are also named in the report alongside Premier League side Everton.

An energetic box-to-box midfielder with a bit of everything, Tanaka finished this season with eight goals and four assists to his name in all competitions, while he was said to play similar to Jude Bellingham on the website official of the Bundesliga.

Tanaka would be a solid No. 8, but not a vital signing

Leeds don’t have a bottomless pit of money to spend this summer, even with major sales, so we have to prioritize certain areas.

A number eight with a solid goalscoring record could work for Leeds, but only after we’ve also added a number 10, striker, a couple of full-backs and a centre-back.

That’s essentially the picture we’re working with, and while Tanaka would be a very good signing for us, he shouldn’t be a priority with what we need to do.

VaselineMay 29, 2024

0 1 minute read

Leeds United back in the race for Ao Tanaka

Tanaka would be a solid No. 8, but not a vital signing

Vaseline

Related Articles

Opportunity in healthcare as post-pandemic tailwinds continue

Bulls must wait for strength beyond 0.6200 before placing new bets

The Australian dollar is holding close to nine-month highs ahead of the RBA’s policy decision

Help us crown Bristol’s best pub in our poll