Leeds United transfer news: Midfielder signed to bring much-needed goals

The 25-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Elland Road.

Although undisclosed as is the norm these days, the fee is thought to be in the region of £3.3m.

The Whites have looked light in midfield since the sales of Archie Gray and Glen Kamrara, cancelled out only by the loan arrival of Joe Rothwell.

But now Tanaka, who Leeds were linked with 12 months ago, gives manager Daniel Farke an additional option.

Goals from midfield were a problem last season, with Gray, Kamara, Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu – who played the second half of last season at centre-back but has since returned to the midfield – not scoring a Championship goal between them last season, although Gruev netted in the play-off semi-final against Norwich City.

Last season’s top scorer, winger Crysencio Summerville, joined West Ham United for £25m.

Rothwell scored four times on loan at Southampton in the second half of last season.

Tanaka scored eight in last season's German second division, as well as finding the net in a cup tie, and against Germany in a friendly. He was also attributed with five assists by Football-LineUps.com.

Tanaka has 27 international caps, scoring eight times for Japan – most famously the controversial winner against Spain in the 2022 World Cup.

As well as the World Cup, he represented his country at the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games.

Match fitness ought not to be a problem, having started three Bundesliga 2 games and a cup tie for Dusseldorf this season.

Unsurprisingly given Farke is one of three German managers at Yorkshire's Championship clubs, Tanaka is not the first player to join from Bundesliga 2 this summer. Marvin Mehlem joined Tim Walter's Hull City from Damrstadt, and Svante Ingelsson played there for Hansa Rostock last season before signing for Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday.