Ao Tanaka has found himself on the bench for Leeds United more often than not since the Whites’ promotion to the top flight.
Tanaka, 27, was a vital cog in United’s engine room during the Championship campaign last season as Leeds won the title with 100 points.
However, Daniel Farke evidently does not trust the Japanese international to feature regularly in the Premier League, with the midfielder starting just seven games this season, with the likes of Ilia Gruev being ahead of Tanaka in the pecking order.
But with Tanaka impressing whilst away on international duty, the midfielder may have just put himself in the shop window ahead of the summer.
Ao Tanaka impresses for Japan against Scotland
Rumours have begun to circulate recently regarding Tanaka and a potential move back to Germany, considering the lack of gametime he has had so far in West Yorkshire.
It would be hard for Leeds fans to begrudge Tanaka for seeking a move away, with Farke giving him a total of just 775 Premier League minutes so far.
With Tanaka impressing during Japan’s 1-0 win over Scotland, there will not be a shortage of suitors who would be willing to take the midfielder off of Leeds’ hands and give him the regular gametime that he so desperately craves.
Tanaka’s performance was a warning to Farke that if the German does not utilise him more, we could see an extremely talented player walk out of Elland Road this summer.
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Data suggests Ao Tanaka was back to his best against Scotland
When Tanaka has played for Leeds this season, whether that be off the bench or when starting in certain FA Cup clashes, he has not always impressed, but the general lack of gametime certainly can’t help a player who needs frequent minutes to perform at his best.
Tanaka’s performance against Scotland was one United fans were used to seeing on the regular at Elland Road last season, with the data certainly reflecting this.
- Tanaka played 78 minutes for Japan during the game and registered one key pass
- The Leeds midfielder also hit the woodwork and came close to scoring
- Defensively, Tanaka was solid too, winning one tackle as well as five of the six duels he was involved in, in what was a complete midfield performance (Sofascore)
With Leeds’ next game being the FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham, Tanaka will likely be handed another opportunity to impress Farke, and with the momentum behind him following his performance against Scotland, we could see Tanaka back to his best in a white shirt.
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