Leeds United’s £3m transfer agreement looks to be a masterstroke after Sheffield United victory: View | OneFootball

Ao Tanaka was very impressive as Leeds United beat Sheffield United.

Leeds United ended Sheffield United’s unbeaten run in style on Friday night, as goals from Pascal Struijk and Mateo Joseph sealed a 2-0 win.

Daniel Farke’s side produced a complete team display to see off the Blades, with virtually every outfield player performing well.

That meant Illan Meslier had very little to do, with the French stopper not required to save a shot all night, such was the Whites’ dominance.

Ao Tanaka excels for Leeds United

So, it does feel harsh to single out individuals, but Ao Tanaka deserves a special mention, as the Japanese international was integral to the victory with how he ran the middle of the park.

Midfield has been a hot topic for Leeds in recent days, with some panicking at the lack of options following serious injuries to Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu.

In fairness, the lack of depth is an issue, so it would be no surprise if Leeds entered the market for a free agent, but the Sheffield United performance was a reminder that whoever does come in will only be needed as backup.

Whilst Joe Rothwell was very good, it was Tanaka who stood out a little bit more, with the 26-year-old key to all the good things Leeds did.

It should be said that Leeds started slowly in the first ten minutes, as the visitors got some joy from going long to Kieffer Moore and getting bodies around the target man.

However, Tanaka was key to reducing that threat, as he positioned himself very well to ensure Moore couldn’t win free headers, and he mopped up second balls.

Then, when in possession, Tanaka would drop between the two centre-backs, which gave the full-backs license to push forward, ensuring the Blades were pinned back.

On the ball, Tanaka was also very assured, as he had an 89% pass success rate, and even though many of those were simple balls, he was quick with how he circulated it, which meant Leeds could keep the pressure on.

Another excellent aspect of Tanaka’s game was his work-rate and intensity in getting the ball back.

This was a key component in Leeds’ display, as they were relentless with their press, and the ex-Fortuna Düsseldorf man set the tone with his speed across the ground.

Ao Tanaka is a £3m bargain for Leeds United

Tanaka has featured regularly for Leeds since his arrival this summer, so fans will already be aware of his qualities, but Friday night was undoubtedly his most complete performance.

So much so, fans will already be praising the recruitment team, as it’s worth stating that the midfielder was picked up for a very modest £3m fee.

In today’s game, it’s becoming increasingly harder to find genuine bargains, but Tanaka looks as though he will fall into that category.

He seems a low maintenance player off the pitch, and on it, he has the desire and technical ability to fulfil the role that Farke wants.

Even in the space of a few months, it would be fair to say his value has already increased substantially, and Tanaka looks as though he is more than capable of stepping up in the absence of Gruev and Ampadu, who are excellent operators at this level.

The manner of the win over Sheffield United felt like Leeds sending a statement to the rest of the league - and Tanaka relished the chance to prove himself on a big platform in the process.