Leeds learn price to sign Japan midfielder as Fabrizio Romano claims Whites move for new striker

Leeds United have learned the price needed to sign top Japan midfielder target Ao Tanaka after claims of his exit clause were debunked, while Fabrizio Romano also claims Daniel Farke’s side want a new striker, while links to Gustavo Hamer are also assessed.

The West Yorkshire side narrowly missed out on promotion last season both via automatic promotion and then through the play-offs; the fall-out from which cost Leeds their three most prized assets with all of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and then Georginio Rutter all prized away. And with the Whites also selling a few of the players who had moved out on loan the previous season, Leeds have boosted their coffers by some £140m this summer.

While new signings have been slightly slow to arrive – the Whites only made four captures prior to last week, with one of those a third-string goalkeeper and another the loan signing of Joe Rothwell – Leeds have sprung into life over the last few week of the window.

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First up, last Thursday Leeds brought in former Manchester United winger Largie Ramazani in a €11m (£10m) deal from Almeria, while the exciting addition of Manor Solomon a season’s loan from Tottenham was also rubberstamped on Tuesday evening. Both clubs are eligible to make their debuts in Saturday’s home clash against Hull at Elland Road.

Now with just two days left to conclude their summer business, Leeds are stepping up their quest to make at least two more additions to a squad they hope can go one better than last season – with a new box to box midfielder compared to Jude Bellingham and potentially a new striker on their radar.

Leeds transfer news: Whites learn price to sign Ao Tanaka

Signing a new No 10 remains another Leeds objective, though in Brenden Aaronson, who has two goals already, and in Joel Piroe, Farke will feel pretty well covered there for options. Solomon is also capable of playing there too, while Wilfried Gnonto showed on Friday night at Sheffield Wednesday the sort of damage he can do if given a free role.

However, the next signing through the door at Elland Road is likely to be a new No 8, with Fortuna Dusseldorf star Tanaka next in their sights.

Leeds were linked with the 25-year-old midfielder a few years back and prior to his move to Germany with Dusseldorf. Now in the final year of his contract, it looks a case of second time lucky for the Whites, who are understood to have made contact with the Bundesliga 2. side over a prospective deal.

It had previously been reported that Tanaka has a bargain €3.1m (£2.6m) exit clause in his deal, which the Whites were keen to exploit. However, TEAMtalk understands that is not the case and the 27-times capped Japan international does not have any such buy-out in his deal.

Instead, Leeds will need to meet Dusseldorf’s valuation of the midfielder, which is understood to be around the €4m (£3.4m) – a fee which would not break the bank if the Whites decided to pursue a deal.

We understand there remains a strong chance Leeds will look to finalise the move before the window closes. Fortuna, for their part, were keen to tie the star down to a new deal, but with interest in his services mounting, he has made it clear he won’t be putting pen to paper and leaving his side with little option but to cash in.

Gustabo Hamer to Leeds reviewed as Romano claims Leeds striker hunt

The Whites are also being linked with a move for Brazil-born midfielder Gustavo Hamer, who has impressed for Sheffield United since leaving Coventry.

He scored five times in 38 games for the Blades as they became Premier League whipping boys last season, with Hamer comfortably the only player who shone in a struggling side.

Now linked with a move up the M1 to Leeds, the Whites are understood to have made an enquiry for his services this summer.

Sheffield United, for their part, are reported to have stuck an £18m fee on the 27-year-old’s head, with their boss Chris Wilder determined not to lose a second player of the summer to their Yorkshire rivals following Jayden Bogle’s move last month.

As it stands, that fee looks too high for Leeds to match and it remains uncertain if they will push to sign him before the window shuts.

Alternatively, Fabrizio Romano claims Farke could look to bring in a new striker before the window slams shut and despite the brilliant man of the match performance by Mateo Joseph on Friday night.

The Spain Under-21 striker claimed two assists and was unfortunate to see another effort narrowly clear the bar at Hillsborough.

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However, Romano claims that, despite also having Patrick Bamford and Piroe to call upon, Leeds could yet cause a stir by bringing in a new No 9 before the window closes.

“This is the idea,” Romano told Givemesport. “Largie Ramazani was the number one plan for them, because they obviously wanted to get a winger as soon as possible. That was something really important to them.

“This is why the negotiations for Ramazani were quite silent, but also quite fast in terms of the club-to-club talks, and also player talks.

“But, yes, the next priority they are working on is signing a striker. Let’s see who it’s going to be but, for sure, Leeds will be busy with this in the next days.”