'Won't be with us' - Manager confirms midfielder squad absence as £3.5m Leeds United move nears
Leeds United are closing in on the midfielder with medical tests underway.
Fortuna Dusseldorf head coach Daniel Thioune will not have Ao Tanaka available this weekend as a move to Leeds United edges closer.
Leeds have agreed a £3.5million fee with Dusseldorf for their midfielder, with Daniel Farke set to land a long-term personal target and fill a major gap in the current squad. Particularly observant supporters tracked a private flight between both cities on Thursday and it is believed Tanaka has been in West Yorkshire undergoing medical tests, with hope his arrival can be announced imminently.
Twenty-five-year-old Tanaka had featured in every minute of his side’s 2024/25 campaign so far but reportedly missed training on Wednesday, with German outlet BILD suggesting a decision was made to protect the player amid transfer interest. And the Japan international will not be involved when his current club host Hannover 96 on Friday evening.
"Ao didn't train with the team yesterday or today,” Thioune told reporters ahead of the 2.Bundesliga clash. “I can't say what will happen in the final personnel matter. But it is certain that he won't be with us tomorrow evening. But I don't want to rule out that this won't happen again in the future.
"The role will logically be redistributed tomorrow, as Ao has always been on the pitch in the past few games. For the others, it's a chance to put themselves in the spotlight a little. I'm keeping to myself who I'll choose exactly. I know how flexible we are, and maybe we'll come up with one or two surprises.”
Tanaka is widely expected to sign for Leeds in the next 24 hours and could be eligible to feature on Saturday when Hull City arrive at Elland Road - although whether he will be is another matter altogether. And recruitment chiefs have seemingly wasted no time in sourcing the next arrival, with talks progressing over a move for FC St. Gallen full-back Isaac Schmidt.
Farke was also in front of the media on Thursday as he prepares for the visit of Hull, his final press conference before the transfer window closes and full focus can return to matters on the pitch. But in typical fashion, the German was unmoved when quizzed on possible incomings but echoed previous calls for additions in midfield and at full-back.
“I spoke quite extensively that we definitely need a midfield player and also a full-back addition and to stay awake in the offensive positions,” the Leeds boss said on Thursday. “But everything is done when it's confirmed, medicals are done and everything signed. I never speak about a player as long as he's not under our contract."
Tanaka and Schmidt are expected to be confirmed in good time, at which point Leeds will have brought in players for the four key roles Farke wanted. But that doesn’t look to be the end of things, with activity set to go right to the wire amid interest in a marquee attacker, namely SC Freiburg’s Roland Sallai or Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United.