Last summer, Leeds United expressed a strong interest in Fortuna Düsseldorf’s Ao Tanaka, but were unable to finalize a deal. Reports from Rheinische Post last September indicated that Fortuna Düsseldorf were eager to offload him to the Whites.
In March, Bild hinted that Leeds might rue not securing the midfielder, as Tanaka has been delivering stellar performances for the German second division club. The Japan international still has a year remaining on his contract, and speculation about his future is mounting, as mentioned in the latest edition of Rheinische Post.
Although Fortuna Düsseldorf has not set a specific asking price, Transfermarkt estimates Tanaka’s value at €3.5m. Should a transfer occur during the summer window, sources suggest that the fee is likely to exceed this amount.
Currently, there is no definitive news on Tanaka’s next destination, but developments are anticipated in the coming weeks. Recent reports in England claimed that Leeds had reached an agreement with the player, but Rheinische Post quickly refuted this, stating that there is “absolutely no truth” to such rumors and denying any contact from Daniel Farke’s team.
At 25 years old, Tanaka seems reluctant to extend his stay at Fortuna Düsseldorf. As a result, the club is open to a potential exit, with sporting director Klaus Allofs tasked with finding a resolution in the upcoming transfer window.
