West Ham can find Freddie Potts replacement with Leeds favourite | OneFootball

West Ham United should move for Leeds United's Ao Tanaka to replace the outgoing Freddie Potts this summer

West Ham United’s summer transfer window has shot into life at last, with the Hammers having secured two fresh faces just before the beginning of the campaign, with more expected through the London Stadium doors before the deadline.

West Ham head to Turf Moor to take on their relegation rivals in the first game of the new Championship campaign, where Nuno Espírito Santo will be reinforced by two new additions.

Both Joel Veltman and Manor Solomon have penned permanent deals in East London ahead of the season opener, as new director of player recruitment, Nils Koppen, has finally completed his first pieces of business.

Veltman arrives on a free transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst Solomon joins for a potential £7 million from Tottenham Hotspur, but following the lucrative sales of Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville, the Hammers have more money to play around with.

Freddie Potts’ £10 million departure to Belgian side Club Brugge will have come as a surprise to many around the London Stadium, as Nuno should head to West Yorkshire to source his replacement.

West Ham United should plot a move for Leeds United’s Ao Tanaka this summer to replace Freddie Potts

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Potts, 22, came through the youth ranks at West Ham and impressed out on loan with both Wycombe Wanderers and Portsmouth before going on to make 22 Premier League appearances for his boyhood club last season.

It had been expected that Potts would take on a bigger role in the Hammers’ midfield following relegation, as his departure leaves a void that has yet to be filled.

Nuno can pick from the likes of Abdoulaye Kante, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Soungoutou Magassa, and Tomas Soucek in the middle of the park, and isn’t exactly short on options.

Yet, the lack of Championship experience in that roster is evident, as Nuno should consider making a move for Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka before the September 1st deadline.

Tanaka, 27, joined Leeds in the summer of 2024 for a mere £2.95 million from German outfit Fortuna Düsseldorf, and made 43 Championship appearances on the Whites’ way to promotion that year, scoring five and assisting twice.

However, the Japanese international would be limited to just 14 top-flight starts last season in West Yorkshire following the arrivals of Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff, although he finished the year starting regularly for Leeds alongside Ethan Ampadu in central midfield, impressing after scoring in Leeds' FA Cup quarter-final win against West Ham.

Longstaff, though, has had a positive impact in pre-season and Leeds' bid to strengthen attacking positions means Stach will drop back into a more traditional central midfield position next season. If game-time is looking limited for Tanaka, he could be tempted with a return to the second tier this summer if the right deal came along. West Ham should try their luck for a player that could have a real impact.

Why Ao Tanaka would be an excellent Freddie Potts replacement for West Ham United

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Tanaka, during his one year in the Championship, took to the English second tier like a duck to water, and instantly became a crucial cog in Daniel Farke's side as Leeds romped to the Championship title on a century of points.

He was voted as Leeds United Players' Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign by his teammates and was also named in the 2024/25 EFL Championship Team of the Season for his dominant performances in the middle of the park.

Tanaka shines in the defensive area of the game, proving to be highly adept at hunting the opposition down and winning the ball back for his side.

Like Potts, Tanaka is an all-action midfielder, but unlike the Englishman, the 27-year-old is more of a finished product, and now that he is meant to be entering his prime, he could be an incredible addition.

Whilst West Ham have the likes of Alvarez, Kante, and Magassa that can do a similar job, whether any are capable of performing at the level the Japanese midfielder has shown himself to be capable of remains to be seen.

Excellent both in and out of possession, West Ham have the financial muscle to be able to tempt Tanaka into making the switch to London, and should be enticing Leeds with an offer to part ways with the midfielder this summer.

Nuno Espirito Santo must search for more statement West Ham United signings and should consider Ao Tanaka

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Both Nuno and Tanaka have each spent one year in the Championship in their careers, with both lifting the Championship title at the end of that year.

The Portuguese head coach was backed by the likes of Willy Boly, Ruben Neves, and Diogo Jota when in the second tier with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and should be searching for similar backing with the Hammers.

Tanaka's addition would be a statement of intent for West Ham, and they should look to reunite Solomon with his former Leeds teammate this summer, in a real game-changer transfer.