Daniel Farke
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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has responded to speculation surrounding Ao Tanaka’s future at the club. Despite unverified reports from Germany suggesting that the Japanese midfielder might be considering a move away, Farke remains confident in Tanaka’s commitment to Leeds United. The midfielder has struggled for game time in the Premier League this season, with only 22 minutes played since January 26.
Daniel Farke said: “Lately, [Tanaka has had] really good performances. So for that, based on this, I don’t see anything. I know that he loves to play for this club and is happy with us, and I’m very happy with this development. It’s his first season in a top flight in his whole career. He was fantastic for us on Championship level. In this first season in the top flight, there’s always ups and downs. I think he had a good start to life in the Premier League. But then also, you could feel in some moments that he needs to adapt a bit also to his level. He was also pretty self-critical at times. When I think about some games when he came in against Bournemouth, Everton and Newcastle, he was also somehow involved in a few goals that we conceded. He was very self-critical at this moment, and mentioned publicly that he’s not good yet for this level. But we always believed in Ao. We’ve said, ‘Listen, you don’t have to dwell under these experiences.’ And what I’ve seen in the recent weeks was not just encouraging, but also something I was very happy about, because he has stepped up in training. This is why at West Ham he produced a really, really good performance.”
Farke’s comments highlight Tanaka’s ongoing adaptation to the Premier League and his self-critical nature, which the manager views as a positive trait for development. Tanaka’s recent performances in training have been promising, and Farke is optimistic about the midfielder’s future contributions to the team.
Meanwhile, Leeds United is dealing with a series of injuries, opening up potential opportunities for other squad members. Facundo Buonanotte, who has not played since his debut against Birmingham City in February, might have a chance to feature in upcoming matches due to injuries to key players like Daniel James, Anton Stach, and Noah Okafor.
Daniel Farke said: “It’s similar to our Ao, I like what Facundo has done in the last two or three weeks. I have also spoken with him and gave him the sign that we are all happy with the consistency that he delivers in training. [He] was also pretty close to make it to the match day squad [vs West Ham], although many players were fit also for the last fixture. Perhaps it is a chance for him now that there are a few injuries. But the solution… it’s more like delivering with consistency in training, not just one good training session. And you also have to do this over a few weeks to be back in the spotlight. He has to earn his place, and then when you get the chance, he needs to use it.”
Buonanotte has been praised for his consistency in training, and with the current injury situation, he might soon find himself back in the matchday squad. Farke emphasizes the importance of maintaining high standards in training to earn a spot on the team, suggesting that Buonanotte’s hard work could soon pay off.
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