Leeds Utd 
Schalke 04 
Exclusive: Leeds star Tanaka wanted by three German clubs after season of frustration
The Japanese star has only managed 765 minutes of Prem football this season ⚪️🟡🔵 #LUFC #transfernews
Will Ao Tanaka leave Leeds Utd and join Schalke 04?
Rumour report
(Latest update: )Despite ongoig transfertalk, the probability of Ao Tanaka transferring to Schalke 04 appears very low, with only -0% change of the deal goung trough. Here is why.
- Ao Tanaka has few opportunities to further develop within this Schalke 04 squad, considering his current level and potential and the role he can play in this squad.
- The players Schalke 04 normally buys have a much lower value compared to the current ETV value that Ao Tanaka currently has.
Transfer Logic score:
Pros
-
Comparable age to previously attracted players
-
Comparable potential to previously attracted players
-
Missing star player in position on team
-
Few better competitors for position (Ron Schallenberg, Adil Aouchiche)
-
Not many competitors with higher Potential (Adil Aouchiche, Soufiane El-Faouzi)
-
Missing potential star player in position
-
Some direct competitors for position (Janik Bachmann)
-
Comparable quality to previously attracted players
Cons
-
Little chance of further development
-
More expensive than previously attracted players
Alternatives of Schalke 04
| Skill / pot | Player | Team |
ETV The Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is calculated by the Player Valuation Model, that calculates the accurate transfer fee for a given player. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill / pot | Player / Team / Position |
ETV The Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is calculated by the Player Valuation Model, that calculates the accurate transfer fee for a given player. |
|
|
74.3
83.4
|
Yegor Yarmolyuk |
 Brentford
|
€46.9M |
|
73.5
76.5
|
Cheick Doucouré |
 C. Palace
|
€14.1M |
|
73.4
74.3
|
Sander Berge |
 Fulham
|
€27.9M |
|
73.0
73.5
|
Sean Longstaff |
 Leeds Utd
|
€17.2M |
|
72.9
75.3
|
Tyler Adams |
 B'mouth
|
€21.9M |
|
72.8
85.1
|
Leon Avdullahu |
 Hoffenheim
|
€37M |
|
72.7
77.1
|
Morten Frendrup |
 Genoa
|
€14.9M |
|
72.0
77.6
|
Mandela Keita |
 Parma
|
€23.3M |
Other interesting rumours
| Player | From / To | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karl Darlow | 10-06-2026 | Report | |
| Joël Piroe | 25-05-2026 | Report | |
| Edin Džeko | 23-01-2026 | Report | |
| Patrick Bamford | 26-09-2025 | Report | |
| Archie Gray | 29-05-2024 | Report | |
| Sam Greenwood | 09-10-2023 | Report | |
| Finlay Gorman | 13-09-2023 | Report | |
| Diego Llorente | 12-09-2023 | Report |
Who is Ao Tanaka?
Ao Tanaka (JPN) is a a holding midfielder and currently plays for Leeds Utd. Ao Tanaka is 28 years old (1998/09/10). His preferred foot is Right. His jersey number is 4. Ao Tanaka has also been used as a box to box midfielder, a deep lying playmaker and as a ball winning midfielder.
Ao Tanaka's current transfer value is between €12.2M and €15M. His last transfer was from Dusseldorf to Leeds Utd in 2024. Leeds Utd paid Dusseldorf €4M for Ao Tanaka.
Ao Tanaka latest transfers and transfer rumours, season statistics and career statistics are available on FootballTransfers.
