Daniel Farke confirms definite Leeds United double-transfer verdict amid Ao Tanaka questions
Daniel Farke is expecting more Leeds United signings in the final days of the transfer window but has refused to be drawn on Ao Tanaka arriving.
The Whites boss wouldn’t comment on 29 August amid reports that the Japanese midfielder is set to sign for the club, with a deal agreed in principle on a £2.95million-plus bonuses move and the 25-year-old travelling for a medical, according to David Ornstein in The Athletic on 29 August.
But Farke was clear that he expects new arrivals inside the deadline and confirmed his side “definitely” do need a midfielder and a full-back.
Isaac Schmidt may also be on the way in as the full-back addition inside the deadline [Florian Plettenberg, 29 August].
He said, via Leeds Live: “I just speak about players who are under contract for us and I always respect players under contracts at other clubs. We have confirmed two signings this week for us and made clear which position we want to strengthen.
“There’s not much time left but I hope and expect there will be some business in the next couple of days. We definitely need a midfield addition and a full-back addition. These are definitely the areas.”
Leeds United add after Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon
The Whites were heavily linked with a move for Tanaka a year ago [BILD] before Glen Kamara arrived from Rangers and Ilia Gruev from Werder Bremen.
Now that the Finn has left, and so has Archie Gray, it is once again a late scramble to get midfield reinforcements in before the deadline.
It is going to be anything but serene but there is a chance that Farke could now get the four transfer priorities he wanted after Georginio Rutter’s exit to Brighton [The Athletic, 16 August].
In Almeria winger Largie Ramazani they landed their top target to strengthen where Crysencio Summerville left [Fabrizio Romano, 26 August] and Tottenham’s Manor Solomon is the second attacking recruit the manager wanted.
It is now just the midfielder and full-back that he has confirmed are still required and Tanaka appears to be about to fill the third of the four slots.
Max Aarons has been targeted from Bournemouth [Yorkshire Evening Post, 26 August] a year after he arrived for a medical but the deal was hijacked and he could be the fourth if Schmidt doesn’t arrive.
In other Leeds United news, a star man has agreed personal terms for a Whites move but the club may have fumbled the chance to sign him.
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