Leeds United brought in German head coach Daniel Farke to the club in the summer of 2023 and he arrived with a proven track record of developing Premier League-level talent.
During his time with Norwich City, the ex-Borussia Monchengladbach boss developed the likes of James Maddison, Emiliano Buendia, Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, and Harrison Reed, among others.
They all played under him with the Canaries before becoming regulars in the Premier League, with Godfrey – who now plays for Atalanta in the Serie A – the only one of those stars who do not currently play in the English top-flight.
Farke showcased his individual coaching talent during the 2023/24 campaign with the Whites, as a number of players emerged as Premier League-level talents.
After Leeds just missed out on promotion, losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley, Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, and Georginio Rutter all moved on to the Premier League.
They were sold to West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively, and it will be interesting to see if Farke can develop any more players to get to that level this season – with Wilfried Gnonto being one of the contenders.
Wilfried Gnonto's form this season
Summerville’s exit from Elland Road in the summer transfer window cleared the space for the Italian to step into the spotlight as the focal point of Farke’s attack.
In the 2023/24 campaign, the Dutch forward was the main man for Leeds, with a return of 19 goals and nine assists in the Championship, and that left Gnonto as the Robin to his Batman, scoring eight goals and providing two assists.
The former Zurich star has stepped out of Summerville’s shadow this season to emerge as a key player for the Whites in the second tier on the flank.
Appearances
36
12
Goals
8
2
Key passes per game
0.6
1.6
Big chances created
5
7
Assists
2
4
As you can see in the table above, Gnonto has already created two more ‘big chances’ and provided two more assists than he did in the whole of last season, in 24 fewer appearances.
This, along with 1.0 more key passes per game on average, shows that the forward is taking more responsibility in possession and looking to be the man to make things happen for Leeds in the final third, to win matches and vital points for the team.
However, teams should be looking at a different player when assessing stars from Leeds who are ready to play in the Premier League, as Farke may have unearthed his next top-flight talent already in central midfield maestro Ao Tanaka.
How much Leeds paid for Ao Tanaka
In the summer transfer window, the Whites went into the market to land a replacement for Glen Kamara, who signed for Rennes, and eventually swooped for the Fortuna Dusseldorf star.
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The West Yorkshire outfit reportedly splashed out a fee of £2.95m to sign the Japan international from the 2. Bundesliga side, after his impressive performances last season.
Like Leeds, Fortuna Dusseldorf just fell short of promotion to the top-flight after they lost in their play-off clash with Bochum, and the central midfielder was key to their push to come close to reaching the Bundesliga.
Appearances
30
Goals
7
Big chances created
6
Assists
3
Pass accuracy
89%
As you can see in the table above, Tanaka featured in 30 of their matches during the regular season and contributed with 13 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined, whilst also being incredibly reliable in possession with a pass success rate of 89%.
His use of the ball in the 2. Bundesliga was particularly impressive when you consider that the Japanese maestro ranked within the top 14% of his positional peers in the division for progressive passes per 90 (5.66).
This shows that Tanaka was progressive with his use of the ball and did not play safe, backwards and sideways, passes. He was incisive and looked to make an impact with his passes, which may be why Farke felt he would be a good fit for his Leeds team.
Ao Tanaka's form for Leeds
The midfielder had to be patient at the start of his career with the Whites, as Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu had established a strong partnership together,
His first four Championship appearances for Leeds all came as a substitute before an injury to Ampadu in the win over Cardiff provided him with an opportunity to come in as a starter.
Since then, Tanaka has been a go-to option for Farke in the middle of the park and the former 2. Bundesliga star has thrived in English football so far.
With nine appearances under his belt in the division, the 26-year-old star ranks within the top 17% of midfielders in the league for progressive passes per 90 (6.16).
He also ranks within the top 19% or higher of his positional peers for tackles (2.64) and interceptions (1.59) per 90, which shows that he blends technical proficiency and a forward-thinking mindset with strength out of possession.
Appearances
9
Starts
5
Pass accuracy
92%
Ground duel success rate
56%
Aerial duel success rate
50%
As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has been effective with his passing and in his duels, winning the majority of his battles on the ground against opposition players.
These statistics suggest that the 26-year-old star, who was once hailed as “underrated” by journalist Bence Bocsak, is ready to make the step up to the Premier League, as he can combine the technical quality needed with the intensity and physicality that is demanded of players in the top-flight of English football.
Tanaka is an all-round central midfielder who can read the game to make an interception, use his physicality to win a challenge, and use his technique and ability to dictate matches in possession, which is why he could already be a Premier League level talent for Farke.
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