Leeds United suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Blackburn Rovers over the weekend but are still very much a strong contender for promotion. The Whites sit third in the Championship standings and are keen to ensure that they earn automatic promotion this season. However, the club do not need any distractions and concerns about the futures of their key players as they chase the Premier League promised land in the latter half of the season.
The Whites are aware that another round of top players will likely leave the club if they fail to achieve promotion at the end of the season. But they do not need the talk to start this early in the campaign.
Daniel Farke is trying to run an efficient squad who believe they are good enough to get automatic promotion but the scars of last season still act as a painful memory for a number of these Leeds players.
Leeds also brought in several players last summer who they believe will help them get promoted to the Premier League but a few of them are already looking a bit too far ahead.
Ao Tanaka’s agent has already indicated that the Japanese midfielder could chase his own Premier League dreams if Leeds do not get promoted this season.
He can make it in the Premier League – Leeds star’s agent
Tanaka joined Leeds from Fortuna Dusseldorf last summer and while it took him a few weeks to adapt, the midfielder has been a constant presence in the starting eleven since the end of September.
The Japanese star has been a massive player in the middle of the park for Leeds and will have to play a big role if the Whites are to achieve promotion this season.
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However, there are already murmurs that he could be too good to continue playing in the Championship and Marijo Knez, his agent, has admitted that soon a few Premier League clubs will start asking why he is in the second tier of English football.
He is certain that Tanaka has the talent and the skill set to play for one of the top teams in the Premier League going forward.
“I assume so”, Knez told FussballNews when asked whether Tanaka is good enough to play in the Premier League.
“With his style, he can be good for a possession-based team that wants to play a neat style of football.
“Many observers may soon be asking why he only plays in the second English league. I am firmly convinced that he can make it in the Premier League.”
