Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reveals the Leeds United and Burnley stars that have surprised him | OneFootball

The pundit has spoken to Football League World about the players who have surprised him most in the Championship this season.

Lee Hendrie has named Ao Tanaka and James Trafford as his two most surprising stars in the 2024/25 Championship campaign as the fight for promotion starts to come to a close.

There are just eight games left this season, with Leeds United, Sheffield United and Burnley all scrapping it out for the top two places in the second tier.

Just two points separate the top three as the Championship gets set to return this weekend following the conclusion of the final international break of the campaign, and all eyes will be on their progress in the coming weeks as the fight continues.

There are less than two months until 2024/25 comes to a conclusion, but we are still no closer to finding out who will confirm their Premier League status automatically, and it may just come down to individual talent in the run-in.

Hendrie drops Tanaka, Trafford verdict

Leeds and Burnley were assured to be in the fight for promotion this season, with the latter having only been relegated from the Premier League last spring, while Daniel Farke's side missed out on a return to the top flight in the play-off final back in May.

However, as is always the case, there is always a feeling of unknown at the start of each campaign as to how players are going to adapt to the division and both the Whites and Clarets have stars in their ranks who have helped take them to that next level.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Lee Hendrie has named the two players who have surprised him the most in the Championship this season.

He told FLW: "I always a look at players who come into a league in their first season, and Ao Tanaka at Leeds, the centre-midfielder, has come into a club of that build and expectation levels and he has literally gone straight into the team and fit in really, really well.

"He’s been outstanding when I’ve seen him this season. It’s a big call when you go to a football club with a level of expectation, and you come with a certain expectation to an extent, but then it is about fulfilling that, and he’s been absolutely brilliant.

"I think he’s been one of their outstanding players, particularly when they’ve had injuries in that midfield area. Both himself and Joe Rothwell have really stood out, but Tanaka every time I've watched him, he’s got great ability, he can drive it forward and he’s been a real driving force for Leeds."

Hendrie continued: "So he’s been the standout for me, along with James Trafford. Obviously, he conceded a lot of goals in the Premier League, but I think this season he’s proven he’s come a long way experience-wise and the amount of clean sheets he’s had, the big saves he made – he’s been outstanding.

"So they’re the two players who have really stood out for me."

Tanaka has been incredible for Leeds

Leeds signed Tanaka for just €3.5million (£2.95m) in the summer, and he has quickly proven to be one of, if not, the best pound-for-pound signings in not only the Championship this season, but in the league's recent history.

The level of control that the Japanese ace has brought to his team's midfield has been simply sensational, with his ability to find his teammates with a pass and also break up opposition attacks a key part of his game.

Not much was known of the 26-year-old when he first arrived at Elland Road, but now Leeds supporters can boast having the best midfielder in the division in their ranks and he is continuing to improve week-in-week-out.

Farke has a ready-made Premier League star in his ranks, and he must reward Tanaka with promotion to ensure that he sticks around past this summer as his ceiling is incredibly high.