Ao Tanaka has been one of the most successful signings Leeds have had in recent years. For a club who have had a patchy recruitment record in the last few seasons, the Japanese midfielder has been a massive success and their recruitment team deserve credit for identifying and bringing him to Elland Road. Leeds fans had little idea of what to expect when the midfielder joined the club towards the end of the last summer transfer window. But he has wasted little time in becoming a key player this season for the Whites. His performances have been brilliant and there is a clear indication that Leeds could struggle to hold on to him if they fail to get promoted to the Premier League at the end of the season.
Tanaka arrived just ahead of the end of the summer transfer window and initially struggled to get into the team since Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev were established in the Leeds midfield.
However, injuries allowed him to get into the team and he has been one of the most important players in the Leeds team over the course of the last few months.
His brilliance has forced Daniel Farke into a selection headache as he now has three top midfielders who he can choose for two spots and Gruev will provide one more class option to the Leeds boss once he returns from his injury.
Tanaka has really impressed with his grace on the ball and the ability to escape out of tight spaces. A box-to-box midfielder by trade, he has successfully transformed into a more defensive midfielder this season.
Ao Tanaka deserves a bigger stage to showcase his skills
Ao Tanaka hit the headlines a couple of years back when he scored the winner for Japan against Germany in the 2022 World Cup and since then his career has gone places.
There were doubts when Leeds signed him last summer from Fortuna Dusseldorf as it is not easy for players coming from a European league to immediately adapt to English football.
The Championship is also an especially difficult league to get used to for new players but Tanaka has taken to English football like a duck to water.
His commanding performances in the middle of the park and flashy range of passing have caught the eye of observers and there are murmurs of Premier League clubs keeping tabs on him.
The midfielder has been so good that there are no question marks on whether Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu deserves players in the starting eleven.
Tanaka also scored his first goal for the club in Leeds’ 3-3 draw at the MKM Stadium against Hull City last weekend. He has gone from strength to strength at Leeds and will be a key player if they are to get promoted to the Premier League.
Get promoted to the Premier League or lose the Japan midfielder in the summer
Leeds captured a dynamic central midfielder last summer for a low fee but there are question marks over how long they can hold on to the player in the future.
His Championship performances have turned heads in the Premier League and clubs are looking at him with a view to a move in the summer.
Leeds signed him for a fee of around £2.95m and they would turn a hefty profit if they decide to sell him at the end of the season to a club in the Premier League.
However, the Whites would want to hold on to the player and they need to be in the Premier League next season if Tanaka is to stay at Elland Road.
Leeds are aware that they will lose more top players in the summer if they don’t get promoted at the end of the season and Tanaka is one of those stars who could move on in that situation.
The Yorkshire giants need the Premier League to keep Tanaka as he is clearly ready to take his game to a higher level in the near future.
