Leeds star is now on borrowed time under Farke

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will surely be incredibly frustrated by his side’s lack of quality in the final third after what happened at the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking to Football Insider last month, journalist Pete O’Rourke revealed that the German boss wanted two additions to the squad that never came to pass.

The reporter said: “There will be a hint of frustration for Daniel Farke – they missed out on some targets. They are still lacking a bit up front, Leeds and he fears for them on that front – not getting the deal done for Manor Solomon will be a blow to Farke and the Leeds fans, because he had such a great impact there on loan last season.

“They tried to sign Harry Wilson on deadline day from Fulham and weren’t able to get that deal over the line as well, so they were looking to add some creativity in the final third.”

Instead of landing Manor Solomon, who scored ten goals on loan at Elland Road last season, or Harry Wilson, the club were unable to land any additional attacking signings in the final days of the window.

That recruitment failure from those above Farke has left the manager in a position where Jack Harrison is starting in the Premier League, which is a tough position to be in.

Why Leeds need to move on from Jack Harrison

The English winger returned to Elland Road in the summer after spending the previous two seasons on loan with Everton, which meant that he did not take part in the club’s two Championship campaigns.

Harrison’s form with the Toffees did not suggest that he was likely to return to Thorp Arch to improve their options at the top end of the pitch, as he struggled badly last term.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the left-footed dud scored one from 3.52 xG and failed to provide any assists in 34 appearances and 24 starts in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which shows that he was incredibly ineffective in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, Harrison has offered very little in possession on the pitch this season, with no goals and just one chance created in seven appearances in the Premier League.

The £90k-per-week flop’s form for Everton last season suggests that he is unlikely to improve much from this point, which is why the club should be looking to move on from him in the summer.

Farke wanted Wilson and Solomon at the end of the window, which suggests that he was not happy with his wide options, and it has been reported that the club will go back in for Wilson in January.

A move for the Fulham forward, who has scored seven Premier League goals since the start of last season (Sofascore), could leave Harrison surplus to requirements.

The English winger is not the only player in the squad who may be on borrowed time ahead of the January transfer window, though, as there are others who have struggled to adapt to the top-flight.

Brenden Aaronson is one and as as much as this may not be a popular thing to point out, there is a case to be made that central midfielder Ao Tanaka may not be suited to playing in the Premier League.

Why Ao Tanaka may be on borrowed time at Leeds

The Japan international was a star for the Whites when they won the Championship title last season, using his ability on the ball to dominate matches for Farke. After all, his manager described him as “unbelievable” for his performances.

He ranked within the top 7% of midfielders in the division for passes attempted per 90 (72.43) and for progressive passes per 90 (7.03), per FBref, which shows that he excelled in possession in the second tier.

The 27-year-old star also scored five goals from a central midfield position to help Leeds on their way to winning the tite with a staggering 100-point haul.

However, the step up to the Premier League has meant that Leeds have had to alter their style of play as they are unable to dominate matches with the ball as much as they were able to do in the Championship, which has been bad news for Tanaka.

Journalist Graham Smyth raised concerns over the midfielder’s physicality last month, saying: “My concern with Tanaka was physicality in the Premier League. He got run over a few times towards the end of the last season. I worried a little bit, against the most elite athletes in the Premier League.”

The central midfielder’s form in the top-flight so far this season backs up the reporter’s concerns, as he has struggled in his duels across his six appearances so far.

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has only won more than 29% of his duels in one of his six outings in the Premier League this season for the Whites.

Per Sofascore, he has lost 76% of his duels in total, including 80% of his ground duels, and this shows that opposition players have found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

This may be why Farke has preferred a midfield trio of Ethan Ampadu, Sean Longstaff, and Anton Stach, as all three of them have won over 50% of their duels in the top-flight, per Sofascore.

Tanaka is a brilliant technician, as evidenced by his aforementioned form in the Championship, but the physical nature of a relegation battle in the Premier League seems to have rendered him ineffective in the middle of the park.

If these issues persist until January, there may be a decision to make on his short-term future at Elland Road in the next January transfer window.