Fortuna Dusseldorf chief Klaus Allofs had hoped to sell Ao Tanaka to Leeds United during the summer transfer window before the Championship outfit opted against making a bid for the Japan international.
And, if we are honest, it’s not easy to see a place for Ao Tanaka in Daniel Farke’s starting XI these days.
Is there a better midfield partnership in the whole of England’s second tier than Glen Kamara and Etham Ampadu? The perfect cocktail of tenacity and technique, their partnership has been so impressive that the Leeds United boss has reconstituted the exceptional Archie Gray as a right-back while Ilya Gruev watches on from the sidelines.
Leeds United decided against Ao Tanaka deal
Leeds signed both Gruev and Kamara in the final week of the window, the duo arriving from Werder Bremen and Rangers respectively. As such, Dusseldorf’s hopes of cashing in on Tanaka went up in smoke, BILD reporting that sporting director Klaus Allofs ‘wanted to sell’ the 25-year-old to Elland Road before the window closed.
Leeds, BILD add, decided against making an ‘official offer’, the Yorkshire giants harbouring doubts about ‘the player’s qualities’ (Sky Germany).
Tanaka, who moved to Germany from Kawasaki Frontale back in 2022, has found some form in recent weeks, bouncing back after a tough start to the Bundesliga.2 season. Tanaka, valued at around £2.5 million by Dusseldorf, scored three times in victories over Kaiserlautern and Eintracht Braunschweig.
Back at Elland Road, meanwhile, Ampadu and Kamara have provided the platform for an impressive ride of the Championship table, three successive wins – including one away at Leicester City – cutting the gap to the top two to eight points.
Kamara and Ampadu get better and better
“In general, we have a really, really young squad. It’s important also to have some experienced players,” Farke tells the Yorkshire Evening Post, hailing the impact made by 28-year-old Kamara playmaker.
“We don’t have to speak about his CV. (Kamara) has played for a big club, with Rangers, with always lots of pressure to win more or less each and every game in the league. He’s a proven Finland international with more than 50 caps already.
“So, he was involved in many, many battles on the pitch.”
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