Leeds could be set to sign Daniel James on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to buy built around promotion, according to the Sun’s transfer expert Alan Nixon.
He claimed in today’s edition of the Sun, that Leeds could now pay a £1million loan fee for Swansea winger James, and that the deal could be worth up to £10million in a permanent move if Leeds get promoted.
He followed up the story on his Twitter account by saying that the deal was “as daft as any”, saying “Loan fee. Buy or not buy. Strange.”
Going to be a mad day. This LEEDS and James thing as daft as any. Loan fee. Buy or not buy. Strange.
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) January 31, 2019
OPINION
This is a big twist in a deal that was always set to be a permanent move. However, the two clubs haven’t been able to agree on a fee and this seems to be a good way of breaking the deadlock. It means that Leeds get their man for the rest of the season but don’t have to make a big financial commitment in case they don’t win promotion. That’s obviously been a sticking point for Leeds who won’t want to stretch too much before they know they’re going to get promoted. This makes it seem, more than ever, that a deal will get done today, even if it’s not quite the one that Leeds fans were expecting. His arrival will be a major, major boost for Leeds in their quest for promotion and he could be available for Bilesa to call on in the massive Championship game against Norwich on Saturday. We doubt he starts and he might not even make the bench, given the way Bielsa does things. But his presence will give Leeds a huge boost.