Earlier today, Sky Deutschland journalist Florian Plettenberg reported Leeds United have agreed a €4m deal with Fortuna Düsseldorf to sign Ao Tanaka. He also said the midfielder is set to undergo medical tests with the Championship side today.
Rheinische Post provide a background on why Leeds decided to bet on the 25-year-old and when his move to Elland Road should go through.
Tanaka has less than a year left on his deal. Therefore, it’s vital for the German club to cash in from his sale, to avoid losing him for free next summer.
The Whites showed interest in Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer and 1. FC Köln’s Dejan Ljubičić. They weren’t able to secure their services, after which Daniel Farke’s side shifted their focus to Tanaka.
He hasn’t taken part in training since Wednesday. The Japan international’s desire has been to make a switch to a top league, but his wish won’t be fulfilled.
Rheinische Post state Leeds United is ‘not the worst place’, but it’s not a ‘really big step’ in his career.
From a sporting perspective, Fortuna Düsseldorf’s concern is how to replace Tanaka. The report says their manager, Daniel Thioune, has a ‘mammoth task’ in his hand.
The German club have to urgently find a replacement to ‘compensate’ Tanaka’s departure. They don’t have a lot of time, but work is ongoing on this front.
