Manchester United have not signed a player from Leeds since 2004. That may now be about to change.
Manchester United are one of three Premier League clubs to show interest in a player from their bitter rival Leeds United – after his outstanding performance at Old Trafford.
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Manchester United lost 2-1 to their arch-enemies on Monday night for the first time in 16 years. – And with that, those who think manager for the rest of the season Michael Carrick is too light to have the job permanently water on the mill.
Two goals from Noah Okafor were enough for Daniel Farke’s side to beat a United side playing their first game in 23 days.
The home side looked sluggish throughout the game, and things went from bad to worse in the second half when Lisandro Martínez received a red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair.
Champions League chance and summer investments
Despite the loss, United are still likely to qualify for next season’s Champions League, thanks to a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea.
That will lead to significant investment this summer, and the midfield is said to be the top priority. Casemiro has already announced that he will leave the club when his contract expires, while Manuel Ugarte is also likely to move on after not settling in since his £42m transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Tanaka impressed greatly
According to TEAMtalk, the United bosses followed their last game closely, and Ao Tanaka’s effort caught the attention of both them and manager Michael Carrick.
Tanaka started his first Premier League game since January and was unlucky not to score after a goal-line save from Martínez.
His energy was simply too much for both Casemiro and Ugarte, who looked sluggish in midfield.
The Japanese international is open to leaving Leeds at the end of the season, and he would be a cheap buy for United. A sum of £15 million is the starting point – it would still be a solid win for Leeds, who signed him from Fortuna Düsseldorf for just £2.9 million in 2024.
Tough competition for the Japanese
However, it will not be an easy task for the Red Devils, who desperately need reinforcements.
Newcastle United and Everton are also interested in Tanaka, who would rather stay in the Premier League rather than return to Germany.
Tanaka wouldn’t be United’s first choice in midfield anyway. Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali are the four hottest names – although they would all cost a fortune and have interest from other elite clubs.
United have already made contact with Nottingham Forest about Anderson, but they also have Manchester City on the other side of town as a competitor.
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