Stunning Ao Tanaka reveal shows just how good the Leeds United star is | OneFootball

Ao Tanaka is rapidly becoming Leeds United and Daniel Farke's best and most vital player.

Ao Tanaka has solidified himself as one of the league's best midfielders after just eight appearances for Leeds United through multiple Man of the Match displays already, including another standout display against Luton Town.

Leeds moved back into top spot in the Championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over Luton at Elland Road, with the hosts opening the scoring early on when Sam Byram smashed in a stylish scissor-kick volley into the far corner, following up on his own blocked shot.

Joel Piroe doubled the lead just before half-time, when he followed in with a close-range rebound after Luton goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski had saved Pascal Struijk's header from a corner. Leeds maintained control throughout and sealed the points with their seventh home league win of the campaign when Jayden Bogle lofted a superb pass over Luton's defence, allowing Dan James to chip the onrushing Kaminski.

However, another of Leeds' best performers was Tanaka, which is becoming quite a common occurrence for Leeds and the Japanese midfielder. A claim could be made that he has been their best player this season, and that Tanaka has been one of the primary contenders for the Man of the Match award in every one of his 10 league starts.

Ao Tanaka's influence continues to be apparent for Leeds

The Whites are hoping to gain promotion this season, and it is likely that Tanaka will be integral to that. Daniel Farke's side will hope that many of the current team can translate well to the top-flight, but the Japanese midfielder is one of the most likely to be able to step up if they reach their target for the 2025/26 campaign.

In signing him, Leeds secured the services of a long-term target for a bargain fee. The reported fee involved of around €4 million (£3.4 million) ought to be one of the best transfer deals of the summer for Leeds, but also to any second tier side.

They have signed a peak-age operator with plenty of the required attributes to be a good performer in a dominant team, and his early-season outings are already cementing him as one of the league's best midfielders, alongside the likes of Josh Cullen, Josh Brownhill, Gus Hamer, Ben Sheaf, and one of his Leeds teammates in Ethan Ampadu.

He underlined that fact with one of his most impressive displays in an ever-growing catalogue, with Jonny Cooper of Opta outlining via X Tanaka's on-ball performance:

Tanaka is the true controlling influence and heartbeat of the team, who will demand the ball and show intent to move it forwards, whilst also having the intelligence to slow down the tempo and retain possession when required, too. Tanaka's 7.55 rating on FotMob is the highest of any Leeds player, and is also the fourth-highest in the second tier.

He reads the game with remarkable anticipation, positioning himself perfectly to intercept passes or create opportunities for his teammates by punching passes through the lines. It helps in orchestrating Leeds' forward play as a deep-lying playmaker and disrupting opposition attacks in the process, with Joe Rothwell more advanced.

His performances in the recent games have drawn praise from fans and pundits alike after winning Sky Sports' Player of the Match against Swansea City over the weekend as well.

Ao Tanaka is Leeds' best player

Tanaka didn't initially start straight away following his move from Fortuna Düsseldorf, but has gone onto make himself totally indispensable. His technical abilities are matched by his intelligence on the pitch, with Tanaka often dictating the tempo of play through his first touch and sharp body swivels to evade pressure.

That press-resistance, combined with an impressive range of passing, is what sets him apart from most midfielders in the Championship. His incredible football IQ is a level above the second tier, even if this is the best standard of league he has played in so far in his career to date.

He’s the kind of player who always seems to know his next move before the ball arrives. This foresight, combined with his excellent range of passing, makes him a potent weapon in unlocking opposition defences. However, he was able to play with both composure and bite on Wednesday night as well.

Leeds fans realised they had a truly special footballer on their hands.