Leeds United have been hit by a major blow to their hopes of signing Swansea City sensation Dan James this summer.
The Yorkshire giants had a bid worth £10million in total (source: Daily Telegraph) accepted for James in January but a deadline-day collapsed at the eleventh hour amid widespread reports they would continue to keep close tabs on him ahead of the next transfer window.
James has now revealed he is happy to commit to a new Swansea contract, in what Wales Online report will be a blow to Leeds’ summer plans.
He told The Telegraph : “I think the negotiations are taking place now.
“I am just waiting on that, I’m happy with it and am letting my agent and the club deal with it and hopefully it happens soon. I want to get into the Premier League and I’d love to do it with Swansea. There may be a time (when I have to leave) but that’s in the future.”
OPINION
This is a major blow to Leeds’ hopes of prising James for Swansea at the end of the season. Director of football Victor Orta had a deal all tied up in the January window, and an initial loan costing £1.5million rising to £10million including add-ons if Leeds got promoted was based more on promise than actual achievements at the time. James has subsequently scored a breathtaking FA Cup goal against Brentford that has brought him a legion of new admirers and even led to comparisons with PSG speed machine Kylian Mbappe. James has laughed that off, but there’s no doubting his blistering pace, or his capacity to cause mayhem against Championship defences. Is the prospect of a new deal with Swansea just a device to enhance the 21-year-old’s market value? Or, proof of James’ commitment to the club he joined at academy level? Should a contract extension be signed, that would considerably reduce Leeds’ chance of signing him in the summer, even if they are successful in securing promotion.