- Tanaka, hailing from Düsseldorf, is heading to Leeds United
Düsseldorf's mid-tier football squad, Fortuna Düsseldorf, experiences a setback as they lose their star player, Ao Tanaka. Yet, they celebrate a bigger payday with Tanaka's transfer fee to Leeds United in England's second-level football. The 25-year-old midfielder's move was confirmed by the North Rhine-Westphalia team. Leeds United's boss is Daniel Farke, who once coached Borussia Mönchengladbach. The move's finer details are kept under wraps. However, Düsseldorf is estimated to pocket around €3 million for Tanaka.
Initial joined on loan from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021, Tanaka later became a permanent member of the Düsseldorf squad. Playing 95 games for the team, he made quite an impression. Board member Klaus Allofs mentioned, "Tanaka expressed his desire to depart some time back. We had to weigh his athletic worth against the financial factors. It's common knowledge that we would have preferred to carry on working with Tanaka."
Despite Tanaka's departure, Fortuna Düsseldorf continues to manage transfers, looking for suitable replacements for their lost talent. The club's significant earnings from Tanaka's transfer to Leeds United will be utilized wisely in these upcoming transfers.
