Wednesday morning marked the return of Ao Tanaka to the Leeds United transfer news, as the club showed interest in signing him during the 2023 summer transfer window.

Reports suggested that Leeds had made an offer for Tanaka, with optimism that a deal could be struck, although the asking price was still uncertain. Fortuna Düsseldorf had even pulled Tanaka out of training, but it was made clear by the German media that this decision was made by the club, not the player pushing for a move.

Now, Rheinische Post claims there are strong signs that the midfielder will sign for Leeds United in the coming hours. This potential transfer is seen as a positive for Fortuna, who have struggled to offload Tanaka in the past due to various reasons such as inconsistent performances, injury issues, and difficulties with his consulting agency.

Although not the most flattering portrayal of Tanaka, this could be due to some bitterness from Fortuna over not receiving a higher fee for the player in previous transfer windows. With pressure on Fortuna to sell and avoid losing Tanaka for free next year, Leeds United may have had the upper hand in negotiations.