Leeds United fan and presenter Joe Wainman has been sharing his thoughts on the possibility of the Yorkshire club making a potential transfer move to sign Manchester United winger Dan James this summer.
This comes after Wainman recently uploaded a video onto his YouTube channel, where he spoke about the latest news stories surrounding Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
It was recently reported that fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion have an interest in signing James. Meanwhile, the Welshman is said considering his options at Old Trafford amid interest from Leeds according to a recent report from the print edition of the Scottish Mail on Sunday (via MOT Leeds News). Wainman had this to say on the matter.
He said: “Dan James isn’t going anywhere at Manchester United.
“I feel a bit sorry for the lad, because had he have come in when he should have at Leeds United, he probably could have been that player that ensured promotion.
“I believe he could have had that much of an impact at Leeds United in that first season under Bielsa, he was what we missed.
“He was so direct, he was quick, he was tricky. It didn’t happen, we didn’t get promoted, but I think his career, his career path, and his career trajectory would be on a totally different vibe to what it’s at now, genuinely.
“If we were competing with Brighton, we would get the player, facts – but we’re not competing with Brighton because we don’t want Dan James. No disrespect to Dan James and Brighton, but Dan James is a Brighton type of player.”
James signed to the Red Devils back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Swansea City.
Since then, the 23-year-old, who is currently valued at £16.2 million, has made 72 appearances for the club across all competitions in which he has managed to score nine goals and provide nine assists in the process (per Transfermarkt).
TIF Thoughts on Joe Wainman’s comments on James…
Given how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have recently completed a move for Jadon Sancho, it’s understandable why James’ future at Old Trafford has been brought into question and why he has been linked away from the club.
Taking into account how the Welshman’s proposed move to Leeds back in the 2019 January transfer window fell through, it’s also understandable why it has been once again reported that the club would be open to signing him this time around.
Should Leeds make a move for Dan James this summer?
Yes
No
In our view, with current Leeds winger Raphinha ending the 2020/21 season as Leeds’ highest-rated player with an overall rating of 7.22/10 according to WhoScored, it would be safe to assume that James would not be guaranteed to play regularly ahead of the Brazilian if he were to make the move to Elland Road this summer, so perhaps a move to Brighton could be the better option for him in that regard.
In other news: ‘Fingers crossed’ – Joe Wainman excited as Leeds linked to star who he’d take ‘over Cunha’