Leeds United man set to face Newcastle and Man Utd stars after international call-up

Leeds United will be hoping for good news when several members of Daniel Farke’s squad return from international duty later this month.

The Whites will wave goodbye to a number of players in the aftermath of Saturday’s lunchtime’s home clash with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur as they prepare to represent their countries during the second of three international breaks scheduled before the turn of the year.

Ao Tanaka has become the latest members of the Leeds ranks to receive an international call-up after he was named in the Japan squad that will face two fellow World Cup Finals qualifiers over the next two weeks. The Samurai Blue will take on Paraguay in Osaka on Friday, October 10 before heading to Tokyo as they look to claim a first ever win against five-time World Cup winners Brazil four days later. The latter of those clashes with mean Tanaka going into battle against Newcastle United duo Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes and Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha after they were named in the Brazil squad for the game.

Tanaka has already earned 32 senior caps for Japan throughout his career and will now get a chance to add to his tally as he returns to the national squad for the first time since appearing in a World Cup 2026 qualifier against Saudi Arabia in March earlier this year.

One Premier League star that has been omitted from the squad to face the South American double header is Brighton and Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma after he suffered an injury in the Seagulls recent win at Chelsea. However, Queens Park Rangers forward Koki Saito has been handed his first senior call-up after earning caps at Under-21 and Under-23 level over recent seasons.

Tanaka’s fellow midfielder Brenden Aaronson is also preparing for international duty after he was named in the United States’ squad for friendlies against Ecuador and Australia. Aaronson is joined the squad by former Whites midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie as Mauricio Pochettino continues with his preparations for next summer’s finals.

Who is in the Japan squad to face Brazil and Paraguay?

Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Zion Suzuki (Parma). Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Shogo Taniguchi (Sint-Truiden), Ko Itakura (Ajax), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord), Tomoya Ando (Avispa Fukuoka), Ayumu Seko (Le Havre), Junnosuke Suzuki (Copenhagen) Midfielders and forwards: Wataru Endo (Liverpool), Junya Ito (Genk), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace), Yuki Soma (Machida Zelvia), Koki Ogawa (NEC Nijmegen), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord), Ao Tanaka (Leeds), Shuto Machino (Borussia Monchengladbach), Keito Nakamura (Reims), Kaishu Sano (Mainz), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Koki Saito (Queens Park Rangers), Henry Heroki Mochizuki (Machida Zelvia), Joel Chima Fujita (St. Pauli)

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