Leeds United have a huge summer ahead if they survive in the Premier League. Daniel Farke will again look to add real quality to their squad, but he also needs to raise funds through player sales.
The Leeds boss decided against cashing in on any of his top promotion heroes last summer, which could have helped Leeds to bring in more quality.
Leeds are planning another big summer if they survive, but they cannot afford to go one more year without any major sales as books need to be balanced and the club need more funds to bring in better quality.
There are a few players in the Leeds squad who have fallen out of favour with Farke this season, and one of them could bring in significant funds if the club decide to sell him in the summer.
Ao Tanaka has more than double his value at Leeds United
Leeds signed Ao Tanaka last summer for a deal worth around £3.3m, and he was seen as one of the best midfielders in the Championship last season.
However, the Japanese midfielder has lost his prominence in the squad and has not started a Premier League game since the end of December.
Tanaka was an unused substitute in the last four Premier League games, and his future at Elland Road is under the scanner ahead of next summer.
He is expected to further fall down the pecking order next season if Leeds succeed in signing Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney in the next window.
Tanaka’s stock at Leeds has been on a downward curve. However, his value in the transfer market has soared, and he could represent significant profit if the club decide to sell him.
According to transfermarkt, his current value is around £8.7m, which is more than double the money Leeds paid for him in the summer of 2024.
The club can’t afford to dither
Tanaka is hugely popular among the Leeds fanbase, and many supporters feel that he can still rekindle his career at Elland Road in the coming months.
However, the 49ers and Leeds need to take emotion out of any decision and look at the cold, hard facts of what has happened this season.
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 20 | 2 | 743′ |
| FA Cup | 2 | 1 | 168′ |
| Total | 22 | 3 | 911′ |
It is clear that Farke does not trust Tanaka enough to even bring him on from the bench at the moment, and selling him in the summer should be an easy decision.
Leeds stand to more than double their money, which should improve their financial calculations and enable better investment in the squad.
However, if the club dither and hold on to him, they risk further diminishing his value if Tanaka struggles to play games next season.
