© IMAGO / Moritz Müller
Ao Tanaka has garnered worldwide attention with his goal at the World Cup in Qatar that gave Japan a place in the round of 16. In the second half of the season he could no longer lead Fortuna Düsseldorf to promotion. Nevertheless, the Japanese would like to play first-class in the future and has submitted his change request.
Release clause of 5 million euros
For Ao Tanaka things went uphill this season up to and including the World Cup. At the beginning of the second half of the season, his path was still clearly geared towards promotion to the Bundesliga with Fortuna. “That was the first step towards the Bundesliga, that’s where I want to go – with this team,” he said after the 3-2 win against Magdeburg at the end of January. But his team had to give up in the promotion race, also because the performance of the 24-year-old fluctuated. He missed the last seven games of the season with a torn medial ligament he sustained against Bielefeld. This game could have been his last appearance in the Fortuna jersey, because he has now announced his desire to change to those responsible.
“Ao approached us a few weeks ago and told us that he wanted to leave the club. He would like to play in a premier league – but that doesn’t necessarily have to be in Germany,” says managing director Klaus Allofs in “Bild”. . An exit clause of five million euros beckons the second division club with a whopping transfer plus. Last year, the midfielder moved to Düsseldorf for one million euros. In view of the mixed performances in the second half of the season, however, it is questionable whether a club would raise such a sum for the 19-time international. But even with a significantly lower offer, those responsible would probably be willing to talk. Because transfer income is urgently needed to strengthen the squad in other positions.
2023-06-18 17:28:45
#Tanaka #leave #Fortuna
