Liverpool and Leeds stars react to Ao Tanaka's message after exit whispers
03/21/2025 09:56 AM
Ao Tanaka has stunned in his first season with Leeds and his teammates have reacted to a message posted online amid exit rumours.
The 26-year-old has been in stunning form for United this season, having joined from 2. Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf for just £2.95million [The Athletic] last summer.
Tanaka has been central to Leeds’ promotion push, featuring in 35 of their 38 games in the Championship.
However, his form has led many to believe Tanaka will not remain at Elland Road for long and the Japanese midfielder is “ready for the step up” to the Premier League already, according to Lee Hendrie.
Despite the rumours that follow the former Dusseldorf star, the midfielder seems focused, having played a major role in Japan’s success whilst on international duty.
Japan become first non-host to qualify for 2026 World Cup
Following a 2-0 win over Bahrain, Japan confirmed their place at the 2026 World Cup, joining hosts Mexico, Canada, and the USA as qualified teams.
Tanaka began the game on the bench, replacing Hidemasa Morita at half-time, and marshalled the midfield alongside Liverpool fan-favourite Wataru Endo.
Following the win, the Leeds midfielder posted a series of photos of Japan celebrating their success on Instagram, captioned: “We passed through. Thank you for your support”.
United players Wilfried Gnonto and Islan Meslier both liked the post, as did Liverpool ace Endo, showing support for the club and international teammate alike.
Losing Ao Tanaka a major concern for Leeds
Football Insider Verdict
Tanaka has been a revelation for Leeds since joining in the summer, but there will be concerns that a bigger Premier League club could make a move for their star player, even if they manage to get promoted this season.
Daniel Farke’s side have been a powerhouse this year, scoring 76 goals as they have led the Championship promotion-chasers for the majority of the season.
| 2024/25 Championship stats | Tanaka |
| Appearances | 35 |
| Starts | 30 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Minutes | 2,669 |
However, Leeds are now stumbling their way to the finish line, finding themselves level with Sheffield United on points, only two ahead of Burnley.
The Whites have won only one of their last four games and fans will be desperate to see their team hang-on to their slender lead at the top of the table.
Should they confirm their place in the Premier League this season, hanging on to players like Tanaka will be the first order of business this summer.
The post Liverpool and Leeds stars react to Ao Tanaka's message after exit whispers appeared first on Football Insider.
