Ao Tanaka makes new admission as Leeds United sweat in midfield – ‘I have many issues’
Ao Tanaka has made an honest assessment of his game ahead of returning to Leeds United from the Japan camp.
The 26-year-old believes his game has several issues, having watched Hidemasa Morita and Wataru Endo excel in the middle of the park.
Tanaka, though, is positive that he will continue to improve, especially after moving to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.
“Personally, I have many issues to work on”, he told Japanese outlet SoccerKing.
“When I watch players like [Hidemasa] Morita and [Wataru] Endo, I feel that there is still a lot I need to do and a lot of room to grow.
“I can feel it not only from players in the same position but also from players in other positions. My defensive style isn’t particularly flashy, but conversely, I need to keep trying.
“As I’m playing in England, I think that this is something I’ll continue to improve in. I’m looking forward to seeing how much I can grow.”
Leeds United will be worried about Ao Tanaka
Leeds are going through a bit of a crisis in midfield, with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev sidelined with serious injuries.
Therefore, it is imperative that Tanaka returns from international duty unscathed as the Whites prepare to host Sheffield United on Friday (18 October).
The former Dusseldorf man remained an unused substitute in Japan’s 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia last week, which Joe Donnohue reckons was great for Daniel Farke’s side.
However, that might not be the case against Australia on Tuesday (15 October) with Endo facing a race against time to be fit.
According to SoccerKing, the Liverpool star missed training on Sunday (13 October) due to illness and could miss the game against Australia, which means Tanaka could be in line to start.
While Leeds’ concerns would be understandable, Tanaka would be delighted to get some playing time for the Blue Samurai before returning to Elland Road.
It could perhaps give him a confidence boost ahead of a crucial period for the Yorkshire-based club in Ampadu and Gruev’s absence.
In other Leeds news, it has emerged that Liam Cooper almost joined Bolton Wanderers in the summer.
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