In an official statement, Leeds United have confirmed the signing of Dan James. The Welshman joins from Manchester United after narrowly missing out on a switch to Elland Road a couple of years ago. James has joined this time on a permanent transfer, penning a five year contract that runs until 2026. The exact fee of the transfer has been left undisclosed.
Dan James: A Star In The Making?
Daniel James joined Manchester United a couple of years as one of the most talented young footballers in the UK. Although the winger showed early signs of promise, his progress has definitely stalled since, with the player struggling to establish himself as a first-team regular under the leadership of Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer.
During his two year spell at Old Trafford, James has only mustered 39 Premier League starts. He had fallen behind Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes in the pecking order. And following the fabled return of star man Cristiano Ronaldo, the Welshman has been offloaded to make some needed room in the Man United setup.
However, despite his struggles in Manchester, James is still regarded as one of the best attacking talents in the Premier League. His raw pace out wide, combined with his ability to dribble past players, makes him a deadly asset for any team, especially on the counter.
Moreover, the 23-year-old has the hunger as well as the tendency to get into good scoring positions. He is objectively a productive winger, although his numbers at Man United certainly don’t back this claim up.
How Does He Fit In At Leeds United?
Dan James’ arrival at Leeds United could serve as a major sigh of relief for Marcelo Bielsa and the board. After failing to sign any new winger in the market while letting Ian Poveda and Pablo Hernandez leave the club, the Whites were under pressure to sign a new player by the end of the window.
Indeed, there were serious concerns over the lack of depth available out wide, with Bielsa lacking the services of a viable alternative for the first-team duo of Raphinha and Jack Harrison. James, to that end, could prove to be an ideal solution to their problem.
The Welshman is blessed with the raw pace and exhibits a direct style of play that should tune in well with Bielsa’s tactical philosophy with Leeds. He could thus appear to be an ideal alternative for either Raphinha and Harrison, and the fact that he can operate on both flanks makes him an even more appealing option for Leeds United.
James still needs to considerably improve his game in order to become an asset for the Whites in the near future. Although at the age of 23, he has time on his side, and under the leadership of Bielsa, the winger will certainly have an excellent opportunity to fulfil his potential at Elland Road.
