FARKE'S TOP TARGET REFUSES NEW DEAL FROM HIS CLUB AFTER LEEDS' 3.4M BID

Daniel Farke’s top midfield target for Leeds United this summer has just rejected a new contract and will now be available for free in nine months as things stand.

The Yorkshire side had a very busy but stressful summer transfer window, but that hasn’t affected them on the pitch, as they have made a strong start to the campaign, remaining unbeaten in their opening four league matches.

Leeds' new signing is already not in Farke's good books as dispute emerges

Leeds United's new signing has already caused a dispute with manager Daniel Farke.

Leeds Uniteds transfer window

Most of Leeds’ transfer window was spent worrying about which player they were going to lose next, as the club saw Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Luis Sinisterra, and Georginio Rutter leave and sign for Premier League teams.

Those departures brought a lot of money to the club, and Leeds used that to add eight new players to their squad as they look to end their stay in the Championship. One of the players that they brought in was midfielder Ao Tanaka, who joined from German side Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Leeds United's summer signings
Joe Rodon	Tottenham
Largie Ramazani	UD Almeria
Jayden Bogle	Sheff Utd
Ao Tanaka	F. Dsseldorf
Isaac Schmidt	FC St. Gallen
Alex Cairns	Salford City
Manor Solomon (Loan)	Tottenham
Joe Rothwell (Loan)	Bournemouth

The 25-year-old has only featured once for Leeds so far, but it has come to light that Tanaka has caused a dispute at Leeds. It emerged on Tuesday that Tanaka was never “first choice” for the Yorkshire side in the summer transfer window, as they went for him after missing out on another target.

The hierarchy decided to move for Tanaka, which was a decision that didn’t please Farke, and that has caused a dispute between the Leeds boss and the people above. Tanaka had less than a year left to run on his contract at Düsseldorf, and given he refused a new contract, the German side were an easier outfit to negotiate with. However, there may be good news for Leeds, as their top target will soon be available after the latest developments.

Farkes main Leeds target refuses new contract

FC Koln sporting director Christian Keller has revealed that midfielder Dejan Ljubicic has refused to sign a new contract at the German club, and given his contract expires at the end of the season, he will soon become a free agent just nine months from now.

This is potentially good news for Farke and Leeds, as it was reported during the summer that the Yorkshire side tabled a bid worth £3.4 million to sign Ljubicic, which explains who the manager's first choice target was before getting rejected and moving on to Tanaka.

The 26-year-old already has two goals and two assists in four Bundesliga 2 games, but while Koln try and tie him to a new contract, the player just wants to concentrate on his football.

Keller said on Ljubicic’s situation: “I didn't have to do a lot of convincing. There is always a lot written about a transfer period. The fact is: Dejo has not changed. The fact is: Dejo likes to be there. It's also a fact that he's playing well.

"Dejo and I have addressed this very openly, already at the beginning of the pre-season in the training camp and now again recently. His position at the moment is that he wants to concentrate on the season and play the football he can play again."