OPINION
Leeds United can hardly be satisfied with a deal in which they could end up paying £12million for Daniel James in an eye-wateringly expensive loan-to-buy deal.
Led by director of football Victor Orta in negotiations, Leeds are massively overpaying for what BBC Sport are claiming is a transfer in which the Championship leaders hand Swansea City an initial £2million loan fee for the rest of the season, with the deal then becoming permanent if Leeds are promoted.
That would cost Leeds an additional £10million, including add-ons, huge money for an attacking player who has scored just two league goals this season.
According to BBC Sport Wales journalist Dafydd Pritchard, extensive talks between Leeds and Swansea over the attacker are close to resulting in a breakthrough.
Swansea want to keep him but feel they can’t now James has told them he wants to leave. If Leeds miss out on promotion, Swansea would take him back after his loan and try getting him to sign a new contract – but that look unlikely.
— Dafydd Pritchard (@DafPritchard) January 31, 2019
At first glance, this is a deal that better suits Swansea than the Yorkshire giants.
It could be said Leeds are mitigating their costs by making the majority of the fee dependent on them ending their 15-year spell in the lower league doldrums.
But a £2million loan fee is extremely steep, and the kind that is paid for a far more proven performer.
With just 17 league games of the Championship game remaining, James would cost Leeds a minimum £118,000-a-match.
That is huge money whose efforts this season amount to two goals and four assists from 20 appearances in all competitions.
James is blisteringly quick and will offer Leeds something different to current wide men Ezgjan Alioski, Jack Harrison and Jack Clarke.
But he is still raw and has much to learn. Orta is making a major blunder over a deal that represents poor value.