Leeds United fears come to fruition amid Ao Tanaka exit update
Daniel Farke’s baffling omission of Ao Tanaka could be set to hurt Leeds United.
Leeds United face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night, and while the starting lineup will be hard to predict, there’s a strong case for Tanaka not being named in it.
Not because he doesn’t deserve to be, but because Farke has consistently chosen to utilise him from the bench, despite the fact that he has proven time and time again that he has the quality to thrive in the Premier League.
That lack of exposure to regular football has started to cast a shadow of doubt over his future, and those fears could be amplified after the latest news.
Champions League club want Ao Tanaka transfer
If it wasn’t for Tanaka, there is a strong chance that Leeds would be attempting to win promotion from the Championship this season, as opposed to avoiding relegation back to it.
The Japanese international was at the heart of everything the Whites did last season, and he was instantly earmarked as the player who could easily make the step up to the Premier League standard of football.
And he has, when given the chance. But those chances have been rare, with Tanaka having started just seven of the 19 Premier League games he has appeared in this season.
Now, a report from Fanatik states that Galatasaray, who are due to play Man City in the Champions League on Wednesday, have added him to their shortlist for potential transfers.
Leeds will not want to lose such a quality midfielder, but if they do, Farke’s strange decision to restrict his gametime will be to blame.
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Who could replace Tanaka if Leeds exit happens?
With less than a week left in the winter transfer window, it would be beyond baffling if the Whites sanctioned a sale for Tanaka.
However, a similar feeling was mutual when it came to deciding whether or not Leeds would sign more attackers at the same stage in the summer transfer window, which, of course, they didn’t.
Nigerian midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi has been linked with a move to Elland Road, having recently returned from AFCON duty.
But outside of that, midfield links have been very rare for Leeds so far in January.
Quite frankly, unless the Whites were to receive a ludicrous offer for Tanaka, there is no way they should even enter talks regarding his exit.
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