Daniel James Again Linked With Leeds as January Approaches

Leeds continue to be linked with out of favour Manchester United winger Daniel James as the January transfer window approaches, with the Wales international having featured only six times in all competitions so far this season.

James enjoyed an unexpectedly strong start to his United career last season when he scored three goals before the end of August off the back of a £15m transfer from Swansea. He kept his place for most of the campaign, but struggled badly with fatigue after the halfway stage.

Thanks to the emergence of Mason Greenwood, James has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford and his last Premier League appearance came in October. The 23-year-old did score off the bench in Europe against Istanbul Basaksehir, but it wasn’t enough to merit a place thereafter.

It is unfortunate because James looked rejuvenated while in action for Wales during the November international break, but competition for places at Old Trafford will soon get even tougher.

The arrival of Edinson Cavani has seen Anthony Martial occasionally pushed out wide, while United are expecting to complete a pre-arranged deal worth around £40m for Atalanta winger Amad Diallo next month. The club also took on Uruguayan talent Facundo Pellistri in summer.

The Daily Telegraph notes that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have to make a decision on James’ immediate future once Diallo is on board, while Leeds are specifically mentioned as having been interested in potentially taking James on loan before now.

Leeds have long been eyeing James. They were very close to signing him from Swansea six months before United came along – to the point where he arrived in Yorkshire to pose for official photos – only for the deal to collapse when communication from Swansea’s end went dead.

They were again linked during the summer ahead of their return to the Premier League. At the time, it was rumoured that Leeds were preparing a £25m bid, which would have represented a quick profit for United on James in the space of just 12 months.

It was said that Solskjaer’s stance on James, having worked with him for a year by that point, was that he would struggle to make the impact at the level United are aiming for.

Instead, the reluctance to sell was believed to be from higher up, with concerns from the Old Trafford hierarchy over how it would look if United sold him on so soon, potentially representing a perceived failure in the club’s ability to develop and improve players.

That selling for a sizeable profit to another Premier League club, but not a direct rival, after giving James a year of top flight and European experience is very measurable development in a different kind of way – the type that Liverpool have thrived on – was seemingly lost on them.

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