Daniel Farke has struck Leeds United transfer gold with combined £7m masterstroke | OneFootball

Daniel Farke was key to bringing Ilia Gruev and Ao Tanaka to the club, with the pair starring for Leeds United right now.

Leeds United were at their brilliant best against Watford on Tuesday night as they ran out 4-0 winners at Vicarage Road.

Once again, Dan James and Manor Solomon deservedly took the plaudits as the attackers continued to make decisive contributions in front of goal.

Similarly, Daniel Farke’s defence gave very little away, as they recorded a sixth consecutive clean sheet, which highlights just how strong they have been at the back.

Leeds United’s midfield duo continue to impress

Simply put, Leeds look like a complete team by Championship standards, as they boast devastating attacking talent and ruthless defensive qualities.

So, you could go through most of the XI and single them out for praise, but two players who do deserve attention are Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev.

It has been apparent for some time that Tanaka has been one of the bargains of the season in English football, not just the Championship, with the Japanese international immediately settling to life at Elland Road after his move from Fortuna Dusseldorf for under £3m.

Tanaka is a very well-rounded midfielder, who is excellent in possession, which is backed up by his 91% pass success rate. Plus, he also does the hard yards, with five recoveries per game, another impressive attribute that shows he makes a difference defensively.

Meanwhile, Gruev hasn’t been as eye-catching this season, with an injury disrupting his first half of the season.

Yet, he was a regular in Farke’s side as they reached the play-off final last season, so he has proven himself at this level, and he looked back to his best against Watford, as his composure and intelligence allowed Leeds to control the game.

Daniel Farke has identified two bargains for Leeds United

In modern football, recruitment is a collective effort. There will be scouts who watch hours of footage of players, and they will conduct background checks on an individual before putting them forward as a potential signing.

But, with Gruev and Tanaka, it’s easy to think Farke had a big say in bringing them to the club.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach is clearly very knowledgeable of the German market, and he will have played a key role in the £4m addition of Gruev in the summer of 2023, and it was said he pushed to get Tanaka from Fortuna Düsseldorf, who play in the Bundesliga II.

To sign Gruev and Tanaka for combined fees in the region of £7m is looking like remarkable business, with the pair complementing each other well on the pitch.

We know the jump up to the Premier League is a huge one, but it really would be no surprise if the duo were lining up in a Leeds shirt for a top-flight fixture come August. And, if that was the case, there would be little worry from anyone at the club about whether they could handle the step up.

There’s a lot of football to be played before that can become a reality, but Leeds are going to take some stopping in this exciting promotion tussle.

Farke has built a formidable second tier outfit, which boasts pace, power and technical ability, and the stats suggest they are comfortably ahead of their rivals in both an attacking and defensive sense.

To do that, the ex-Nowich chief has been backed with some big-money signings, and the club have shown ambition to retain players who will be commanding a hefty salary.

But, Gruev and Tanaka are proof that Leeds have also managed to identify bargains, and it’s another feather in the cap of Farke when you consider he is sure to have instigated both deals.