Ao Tanaka could exit Fortuna Dusseldorf in next 24 hours amid West Ham United development
West Ham are interested in Ao Tanaka as the Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder could be on the move within the 24 hours, according to the Rheinische Post.
The German newspaper reported on page D4 of its print edition on 28 July that there isn’t currently an offer on the table for the Japanese international, but that a move could take place before the 2. Bundesliga club kicks off their season against Hertha Berlin on 29 July.
It said the Hammers are joined in the race for the 24-year-old’s signature by Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart as well as fellow English clubs Fulham, Leicester City and West Brom.
Risk-free
A move for Tanaka could turn out to be a pretty shrewd move for West Ham if they can land him for a reasonable fee, but there are question marks over whether he’s good enough for the Premier League.
The newspaper claims the midfielder had a clause in his contract that would’ve allowed clubs to sign him for £4.3million before 30 May, so you would think he would be available at a very low price, making it a relatively low-risk deal if they were to pursue it.
Since signing for Fortuna from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in 2021, the defensive midfielder has only played in the German second division, where he has scored two goals and laid on four assists in 55 appearances [Transfermarkt].
Although he played a key role in Japan’s excellent performances at the World Cup last year, he suffered a medial knee ligament injury in April that cut short his season and that will be a concern.
You would think the Hammers would be looking to bring in players with more experience in a top European league, but it could be a decent signing for a relatively low fee as we prepare for another long season.
In other West Ham news, two players that had looked to be heading out of the club are now expected to stay at the London Stadium.