Leeds United keen on Daniel Farke midfield favourite with statistical match to current Whites man

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Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka counts Leeds United and Daniel Farke among his admirers as the transfer window nears its conclusion.

The Japan international was a potential target for Leeds last summer as they put together Farke's first squad for a promotion push that ended in play-off final heartbreak at Wembley. Tanaka is a versatile central midfielder who boasts more of a goal threat than Glen Kamara, who was sold to Stade Rennais earlier this summer as Leeds plotted a more offensive look to their midfield. The Whites brought in Joe Rothwell on loan from Bournemouth and stats website fbref.com lists Tanaka as the closest match to Rothwell in terms of his statistical profile.

Tanaka scored seven goals and added four assists in Germany's second tier last season. The 25-year-old broke through into senior football at J1 League outfit Kawasaki Frontale, for whom he scored 10 times in 94 appearances before a 2021 loan move to Dusseldorf that later became permanent. To date Tanaka has 10 goals in 95 appearances for the Bundesliga 2 side and one fewer assist than he contributed for Kawasaki Frontale.

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The Daily Mail reports that Leeds are ready to trigger a release clause of £2.65m to obtain the player, which the Whites would consider a bargain. Farke, who arrived at Leeds after a spell in charge of Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach, is known to be keen on Tanaka, who has played every minute of Dusseldorf's league campaign so far this season. Last term they finished third in the division, six points behind champions St Pauli and five behind runners-up Holstein Kiel who were also promoted. 

Leeds are in the market for a central midfielder and have seen bids for FC Koln man Dejan Ljubicic and Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer knocked back during the summer window. In the past week they have added £10m Largie Ramazani from UD Almería and loanee Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur to bolster Farke's attacking options.

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