The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 24th March) Trio of Bundesliga clubs monitoring Tanaka
Good Morning. It's Tuesday 24th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Trio of Bundesliga clubs monitoring Tanaka
Since promotion, Japanese international AO Tanaka has struggled to translate the promise that earned him the players, player of the year last season. The 27yo dazzled in the Championship, earning a cult‑hero status at Elland Road, bossing the midfield, fantastic work rate and his trademark strikes from distance which would always keep opposition keepers on their toes. Yet, the step up in physicality and a series of tactical reshuffles have left him on the periphery. Daniel Farke’s switch to a 3‑4‑2‑1 system has effectively squeezed the central‑midfield role Tanaka thrives in, relegating him to the bench and, inevitably, to a growing sense of frustration.
Tanaka’s agent, Marijo Knez, has long maintained that his client possesses the quality to succeed in England, arguing that the player’s “neat, possession‑oriented” style dovetails perfectly with Leeds’ preferred brand of football. Leeds favour a more direct, high‑pressing approach that often demands a physical edge over technical finesse. As a result, Tanaka’s opportunities have dwindled, and his once‑bright smile has become a rare sight at training.
The quiet discontent has not gone unnoticed. Union Berlin, Schalke 04 and Hannover 96 have all placed Tanaka on their radar, each seeing a two‑fold benefit. First, the player brings Bundesliga 2 experience and a proven ability to adapt to German football’s tactical rigour, qualities that can immediately bolster their midfield depth. Second, Leeds stands to make a tidy profit on a player who, despite his under‑utilisation, still holds a market value above the £2.9m (plus add‑ons) they paid Fortuna Düsseldorf back in the summer of 2024.
If any of the German suitors can promise a regular starting berth and a system that values Tanaka’s composure on the ball, the move could be a win‑win: Tanaka regains the confidence that made him a fan favourite in Düsseldorf, Leeds make a healthy profit on their investment, and a Bundesliga side adds a technically gifted midfielder to its roster.
Have Spurs given up
The humiliating 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest feels like the wheels may finally have come off for Tottenham Hotspur. Many thought they may have finally turned the corner after holding Liverpool to a respectable 1-1 draw at Anfield, followed by an impressive 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League (despite exiting the competition); but the gutless performance in-front of a packed out 61,000 home crowd, tells a very different story.
Former England legend Alan Shearer didn't hold back on Premier League Productions either, calling the performance an absolute "embarrassment." He pointed out that as soon as the pressure was on to actually back up a decent result, they totally folded. For a team that hasn’t managed a single win in 2026 and is hovering dangerously close to the drop zone, Shearer’s warning that they are "sleepwalking towards relegation" feels less like a wake-up call and more like a grim reality. If that’s the best they’ve got, the Championship is looking more like a certainty than a scare.
“It was an embarrassing afternoon for Spurs. They were asked the question of how are you going to handle the situation at home after a decent result last weekend? Now the pressure is all on you to go and win, and that’s what you get. Is that the very best you can give? That to me seems like a team sleepwalking towards relegation.”
One win in eight just isn't good enough
As the Premier League season enters its frantic final stretch, Leeds United find themselves in a precarious statistical slump, with only Tottenham Hotspur currently enduring a longer winless streak. Since their emphatic victory over Nottingham Forest in early February, the Whites have failed to secure three points in a single outing, instead keeping their survival hopes on life support through sheer persistence. While eight draws over the last three months have provided a vital trickle of points, a mere four-point cushion separates them from the relegation zone.
The road to safety is fraught with historical hurdles and daunting fixtures. Leeds must still navigate trips to Manchester United and Bournemouth, alongside a home clash against Brighton, a side that has traditionally proven to be a "bogie" team for the Yorkshire outfit. While their schedule includes games against every member of the current bottom four, two of those fixtures require travel to London, a city that has rarely been a happy hunting ground for the Whites. With the margin for error thinning and the pressure mounting, the Elland Road faithful face an agonisingly uncertain end to the campaign.