Ao Tanaka

Ao Tanaka is a Japanese central midfielder currently playing for Leeds United in the Premier League. He established himself as one of Japan's most consistent midfielders after making his move to European football with Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Tanaka began his professional career at Kawasaki Frontale, making 79 league appearances before joining Fortuna Düsseldorf in the German second division. He excelled there over several seasons before signing permanently for Leeds United in 2024, going on to win the EFL Championship and earn promotion to the Premier League. A regular for the Japan national team, Tanaka has accumulated 38 caps and 8 goals. He participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Japan's qualification campaign for the 2026 tournament.