Leeds United failure to take Ao Tanaka bait led to German transfer collapse
Former Leeds United target Ao Tanaka’s failed move led to the collapse of Fortuna Düsseldorf’s bid for then-VfL Bochum striker Simon Zoller, according to the Rheinische Post.
The German newspaper reported in their print edition (7 September, pg C7) that Dusseldorf’s inability to sell Tanaka this summer, amid interest from Leeds, Stuttgart and Borussia Mönchengladbach, “played a crucial role” in Zoller’s failed transfer.
German forward Zoller now finds himself at Bundesliga 2 side St. Pauli, with Leeds’ lack of interest in Tanaka playing a significant role in the transfer saga.
Benchwarming
With a move seemingly imminent, Tanaka now finds himself on the bench for Dusseldorf, likely wondering how this whole situation could have been different.
The 24-year-old announced himself on the world stage at the 2022 World Cup for Japan, scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Spain to advance his nation to the knock-out stages.
That being said, the midfielder is not blessed with high-level club experience, having only ever played in the Bundesliga 2 and the Japanese J1 League, so Leeds’ lack of “concrete” interest is understandable.
Dusseldorf sporting director Klaus Allofs reportedly “really wanted” to get Tanaka off the books and reduced his asking price, which stood at around £2.5million, per Bild (28 August).
Tanaka was also reportedly keen on a move away from the German second division, and with interest from Bundesliga clubs and a Premier League promotion hopeful, it seemed like a natural step in his career.
At 24, he will want a big move as soon as possible and could warrant it considering his four-year-long international career with the senior Japan side, but he will have to wait until at least January to see if any interest remains.
In other Leeds United news, a recent £10million Whites target could be set to renew his contract at his current club.