Michael Carrick wants Japanese midfielder at Man Utd after complete Leeds U-turn | OneFootball

Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick believes that Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka would be a good signing for the Red Devils, according to a report.

Tanaka featured for Leeds in their Premier League game against Man Utd at Old Trafford on Monday evening and was hugely impressive.

The Japan international midfielder started in midfield in a 3-4-2-1 formation and helped Daniel Farke’s side to a 2-1 win against the Red Devils.

It was Leeds’ first league win against Man Utd at Old Trafford since 1981, and Red Devils’ interim-manager Carrick was left impressed with Tanaka, according to TEAMtalk.

The report has claimed that Carrick was ‘impressed by Tanaka’s display on Monday’, as the former England international observed how the 27-year-old and his Leeds team-mate Ethan Ampadu got the better of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the middle of the park during the game.

Carrick is one of the candidates to become the permanent Man Utd manager, and his desire to bring Tanaka to Old Trafford is likely to be taken into account by the Premier League club’s co-owners, INEOS.

Tanaka has been on the books of Leeds since the summer of 2024, when he joined from German club Fortuna Dusseldorf, and is under contract at the West Yorkshire outfit until the summer of 2028.

TEAMtalk has reported that ‘Tanaka is open to departing Elland Road this summer in search of more regular playing time’.

The 27-year-old, who has earned 37 caps for Japan, has made only eight starts in the Premier League under Farke for Leeds this season.

Leeds had been open to selling Tanaka for £15million (€17.2m), but the Premier League club are now considering handing him a new deal and extending his stay at Elland Road.

Man Utd, though, are not the only club keen on a 2026 summer deal for Tanaka.

Newcastle United and Everton are also said to be interested in signing the Japan international.

While Tanaka becomes the newest name to be linked with Man Utd, Carrick has told INEOS not to offload Mason Mount this summer.

Mount has been a peripheral figure at Man Utd in recent seasons, with the former Chelsea midfielder having injury problems and also facing competition for a place in the starting line-up.

Carrick told BBC Sport on Friday: “There’s definitely a place for him, without doubt. He’s obviously working to getting fit and finding that.

“Mason has got a good future here so I really don’t worry about him.”