Leeds United double-deal may be imminent as private jet flies in from Germany Monday after bids for Ao Tanaka and Nadiem Amiri
Leeds United may be set to seal a late double-signing after a private jet flew in from Germany in the wake of multiple bids being tabled from Elland Road.
Kicker reported on their website Monday (28 August) that it was suspected a private jet bound for Leeds from Dusseldorf the same day was carrying the 26-year-old Bayer Leverkusen man Nadiem Amiri.
The report detailed a new twist in the “extraordinary” Nadiem Amiri saga to say that the German midfielder appeared to have changed his mind again and was now minded to accept a switch to Elland Road, just three days after rejecting it.
The Budesliga side are based in the same region as the airport so he may have been on that flight, but another midfielder plying his trade in Germany also saw a bid from Elland Road go in alongside the Amiri pursuit and could just as easily have been a passenger instead or as well.
Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Japanese international Ao Tanaka is additionally on the cards to join Daniel Farke’s squad after Leeds United made an offer for him over the weekend.
Bild reported on Sunday (27 August) that the 24-year-old “could move to England in the next few days” as the pursuit of the “World Cup hero” already looked to have reached an advanced stage.
And, as the name might suggest, Dusseldorf itself is far closer to the airport than Leverkusen is, so Tanaka would surely arrive via that route if he was on his way to Elland Road Monday.
What is certain is that Daniel Farke is looking to add to his midfield significantly before the window shuts, after opening the season with new man Ethan Ampadu and 17-year-old Archie Gray, with just Darko Gyabi in reserve.
Tyler Adams’ late sale to Bournemouth may have helped free the Whites up to spend but it meant all four of last-season’s senior central midfielders have gone this summer, after Weston McKennie’s loan ended, Marc Roca embarked on one of his own, and Adam Forshaw’s contract expired.
As well as Tanaka and Amiri, bids have been made for Glen Kamara from Rangers who is widely expected to sign for Leeds imminently, and Norwich City’s Kenny McLean, with the latter offer rejected [Sky Sports, 28 August].
With all the pursuits live at once it may be that two or even three additions are expected, so if there was a new Leeds United signing flying in from Dusseldorf Monday there might still be another set to follow anyway, and it certainly isn’t outside the realms of possibility that both men were booked to travel at the same time.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay reports that the Whites now have the “required funds” to seal a late deal they have been looking at for “weeks”.