DEAL CONFIRMED :Daniel Farke has finally eliminated Ao Tanaka from first eleven….

DEAL CONFIRMED :Daniel Farke has finally eliminated Ao Tanaka from first eleven….

Ao Tanaka’s start to life at Leeds United has been slow-burning so far, with the Japan international having only made appearances off the bench so far – but Ben Jacobs has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that the midfielder should become a regular starter in the coming weeks once he finds his feet in West Yorkshire.

Tanaka was a deadline day signing from German outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf, in a deal worth £3million plus bonuses with the Whites keen to add to their squad late on in the transfer window. It’s been a slow start so far, but owing to the pace of the Championship and its tenacity, that will come soon. Daniel Farke is under pressure to go up, having failed to do so last time with what many considered to be a Premier League-quality squad boasting the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, who have all departed for the top-flight this summer. But Tanaka has added steel in their engine room, and Jacobs believes that it won’t be long until fans see him start from the off at Elland Road.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated that whilst Tanaka hasn’t had many minutes this season under Farke, he could be instrumental across their season with a run of games propelling him into the first-team squad for the promotion push in the latter stages of the season.

And the journalist stated that the Japan international will become a starting figure ‘sooner rather than later’ under the German. He said:

 

“Ao Tanaka could be a really important figure in turning Leeds’ form around. They needed another central midfielder, and one with an engine and defensive qualities.

 

“Brenden Aaronson will be important, too, and is already scoring a few goals, but Tanaka is the kind of disciplined presence Leeds perhaps need. I think he’ll become a regular starter sooner rather than later.”

Whilst Tanaka has been a highly-anticipated signing for the Whites, he’s only played nine minutes of Championship football this season – with cameos in the wins over Hull City and Cardiff City, alongside the Whites’ loss to Burnley earlier in the month.

 

Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev and Brenden Aaronson are all the first-choice central midfielders at present, whilst Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell is another strong choice that they have who can come into the fold late on or with injuries and suspension.