Championship giants Leeds United never improved their initial offer of £3.2 million for Ao Tanaka with the Japan international sticking around at Fortuna Dusseldorf for another few months.
Once Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara arrived at Elland Road – the midfield duo putting pen to paper after leaving Werder Bremen and Rangers respectively in the final 48 hours of the transfer window – Ao Tanaka found himself slipping down Daniel Farke’s list of priorities.
The all-action enforcer, according to BILD, was the subject of a £3.2 million bid from Leeds United. But, after Leeds turned their attention to Gruev, Kamara and Nadiem Amiri (agreeing a fee with Bayer Leverkusen for the latter before negotiations collapsed), there was to be no new and improved bid on the way from Elland Road.
That may have something to do with suggestions that not everyone in West Yorkshire was totally convinced of Tanaka. According to Sky Germany, some at Leeds had their doubts about ‘the player’s qualities’.
Leeds United opted against signing Ao Tanaka
Gruev instead arrives with a proven track record in Germany’s top flight. Versatile and a real physical presence at over 6ft, the flexible Gruev was a regular for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga last term. Tanaka, meanwhile, spent that very same season in the second-tier.
Kamara, meanwhile, brings title-winning experience to Elland Road. He was a key cog in Steven Gerrard’s Premiership-winning Rangers machine in 2020/21.
“It feels good. I can’t wait to get started to be honest,” Kamara tells the Leeds website. “We have a great manager and fanbase here, along with good players.
He said: “I can play box-to-box, (as a) ‘six’ or ‘eight’. It depends. And, hopefully, I can show everybody how good I am.
“I had a good conversation with the manager recently. I don’t want to reveal too much, I just have to bring it. Go and show it on the pitch.”
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