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Leeds United in advanced talks with Manchester United’s Dan James

The Welshman might sign for Leeds after all...

Manchester United v Leeds United - Premier League
Dan James contests with Pascal Struijk in the Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images

Surprise, surprise. Leeds United have entered advanced talks for the signing of Daniel James from Manchester United, two-and-a-half years after his dramatic deadline day move to Leeds from Swansea broke down.

Now, Leeds have just a couple of days to work out a deal with their bitter rivals and the Welsh international - with the fee standing at £20 million.

Since that stellar season at Swansea where he grabbed four goals and 9 assists in The Championship, James signed for Manchester United in a deal worth £19 million.

His first season in The Premier League brought three goals and six assists in 33 appearances, while the 23-year-old managed a goal in The Europa League and an assist in The League Cup, averaging a goal or assist every 273 minutes.

Last season, James made less than half as many PL appearances than his debut season, scoring three goals and assisting one while also grabbing a goal and an assist in The Reds’ run to The Europa League final.

James has started two out of three games at the start of this season, but the imminent arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has opened the opportunity for James to leave in pursuit of more game time.

Leeds fans will of course know all about James, not only for his incredible pace and his performance against Leeds for Swansea and Man U, but also for his deadline day upset in January 2019 - as documented in season one of the ‘Take Us Home’ documentary on Amazon Prime. The series caught a glimpse of the deadline day saga of James’ failed move to Leeds on the final day of the January window, which went down to the wire as Swansea pulled out of the deal at the 11th hour.

He has remained a Bielsa favourite though, and may well be the reason that Leeds have waited so late to make a move for a winger. It was well documented by Victor Orta that he could move for a winger late in the window - despite the possibility of Noa Lang existing throughout the window.

It has now been revealed that Bielsa was not 100% on Lang, and that is why Leeds didn’t move. But we know that Bielsa is 100% on James, and now Orta pounces. The question now is ‘can Leeds get it over the line this time?’