'Very impressive' - Leeds United pair hailed after stellar recent performances

Leeds United skipper Ethan Ampadu has said Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell have been ‘very impressive’ recently. The pair have stepped in for Daniel Farke’s side over recent weeks and have caught the eye in the middle of the park.

Ampadu remains out of action for the Whites and has watched on as the duo have played well in his position. He could face a battle to get back into the starting XI when he is back fit again.

Leeds’ captain has said, as per an interview with the BBC: “They have been very impressive. All of us, players and staff, knew how good they were anyway. Maybe they haven’t had the minutes they would have liked before. They are doing that now and they are thriving with it. It’s good to see.

“They’re helping the team in their own ways. It’s a positive. They have both played very well in every game and like I said, it’s not really a shock to us as players and staff because we see them do it day in, day out anyway.”

Leeds swooped to sign Tanaka, 26, in the last transfer window to bolster their ranks. He arrived in England from Fortuna Dusseldorf in Bundesliga.2 and has adapted well to life in the Championship since then.

The Japan international has played 12 times for the Whites so far. He had previously made 95 appearances for Dusseldorf after joining them as a youngster from Kawasaki Frontale in his native country and chipped in with 10 goals in the German second tier.

‘I’m really happy’...

Leeds fans voted him as their JD Sports Player of the Month for October and he said: “I'm really happy to get this award on a personal level, but the most important thing to me, is that we get the three points in every game.

"I can't thank my teammates and the coaching staff enough, they have been a massive support since I arrived and are always helping me. I'm really appreciative of their guidance and they're the reason why I've managed to get this award."

He added: "They've (the supporters) been great and I want to score a goal as soon as possible for them."

As for Rothwell, he has injected more quality into the Whites’ squad. He is also experienced and knows the league well. The 29-year-old is on loan from AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League and has made 16 outings so far, 15 of which have come in the league. He spent the second-half of the last campaign with Southampton and found the net on four occasions in 20 matches for the Saints as they gained promotion to the top flight.

Rothwell played for Oxford United and Blackburn Rovers before joining the Cherries in 2022. He hasn’t managed to nail down a regular place in their team though, hence why he has been loaned out twice now since signing for them. Leeds beat QPR 2-0 at home last time out. They are back in action away at Swansea City on 23rd November.