Leeds United are keen on acquiring Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Dusseldorf, and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna was notably impressed by the player’s performance during the pre-season.
Daniel Farke hopes that by the time his team faces Hull City on Saturday afternoon, he will have new signings to add to the recent arrivals of Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon.
Following the departures of Glen Kamara and Archie Gray in July, the club is focused on strengthening their midfield, having only brought in Joe Rothwell so far.
The Daily Mail was the first to report Leeds United’s renewed interest in signing Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Dusseldorf, revealing that discussions have now begun for the 25-year-old midfielder.
This interest follows last summer’s pursuit, which eventually led to the signings of Kamara and Ilia Gruev. Bild has updated the situation, noting that Tanaka’s contract lacks a release clause and a fee of approximately £3.34 million would be necessary for the 2.Bundesliga side to agree to his transfer.
Tanaka, who represents Japan internationally, scored eight goals and provided four assists in all competitions last season, although his team did not achieve promotion through the playoffs, similar to Leeds United.
Tanaka’s performance has not only impressed Leeds’ scouts but also caught the attention of Ipswich Town’s staff, particularly after Ipswich’s 2-1 defeat to Fortuna Dusseldorf in a pre-season friendly on July 27.
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, in an interview with Rheinische Post, discussed Tanaka’s standout performance and suggested why Leeds United should consider making him a signing.
