Leeds United will have only one goal for the 24/25 season, and that will be to make it back to the promised land, the Premier League.
After a solid season last year, Leeds narrowly missed out on automatic promotion, and finished 3rd in the Championship. Unfortunately for them, their season ended in heartbreak after the side suffered a 1-0 defeat at Wembley to Southampton in the Promotion Playoff Finals.
The Whites will go again this season under Daniel Farke, who has lost some key players but also bolstered his side with signings.
One such signing is Japanese midfielder Ao Tanaka from German Second Division side Fortuna Dusseldorf. He joins on a four year deal for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of 3.5 million euros, increasing the strength and depth of the midfield unit.
Tanaka, comes with international pedigree, having scored 8 times for Japan in 27 games and was part of Japan’s 2022 World Cup Campaign.
It took no time for Farke to integrate Tanaka into the system, the signing was completed on 30th August and Tanaka made his debut in Leeds’ win over Hull on 31st August, showing Farke’s trust in the midfielder’s abilities.
His debut came in the 86th minute with the Elland Road fans in fine voice, the early debut also meant that Tanaka witnessed the the debut of a new chant dedicated to him.
Tanaka’s chant is a rendition of the extremely popular party song “Tequila” by a band called The Champs. Released in 1958, the song overtime has become a party classic and one known worldwide.
The catchy rock and roll instrumental has saxophone riff and just a single word in the entire song! You guessed it, it’s “Tequila”. The song has found its way into many movies and commercials and now makes its way into football as a chant for Ao Tanaka.
The chant begins with the instantly recognizable “Du du du du” melody, capturing the catchy rhythm of the original tune. Then followed by the midfielder’s first name in a similar tune “Ao, Ao, Ao” that fits perfectly as its only two syllables.
Instead of the famous “Tequila!” shout, the chant reaches its peak after building anticipation with a spirited yell of “TANAKA!”.
This tune has gotten fans grooving before, after and even during the game, and it’s safe to say that the Leeds fans have well and truly welcomed Ao Tanaka into the Leeds family as quickly as his introduction into the side.
Tanaka responded to the affection of the fans using Instagram, thanking the fans for a warm welcome and stating his excitement to get his new journey with The Whites underway.
With a fan-player connection already established and confidence from the manager in his new signing, Tanaka and Leeds fans will both hope that their side can make a push for promotion once again.
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