Leeds United failed to beat their rivals Manchester United on penalties in their most recent pre-season friendly after drawing 1-1 in the 90 minutes.
A goal from Brenden Aaronson cancelled out an opener from Joshua Zirkzee, but misses from Harry Wilson and James Justin from the penalty spot lost the match for Daniel Farke‘s side.
Despite technically losing the game, there were still some positives for the German head coach to take away from the match after it finished 1-1 in normal time.
For example, Wales international Daniel James provided an assist for the goal whilst playing on the left flank, playing Aaronson through inside the box.
Why Leeds United should sell Dan James
Despite his assist for the USA international in that match, the Welsh attacker is one of the players who should be moved on before the end of the summer transfer window.
The pacey wide player has consistently shown that he does not have the quality to make a consistent impact in the Premier League as a winger, after he failed to provide a single goal or assist in 19 appearances in the division last term.
In his last stint in the top-flight, on loan at Fulham in the 2022/23 campaign, James only scored two goals and supplied one assist in 24 appearances for the Cottagers.
|
Dan James (Premier League) |
22/23 (Fulham) |
25/26 (Leeds) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
24 |
19 |
|
Goals |
2 |
0 |
|
Minutes per goal |
405 |
N/A |
|
Key passes per game |
0.4 |
0.5 |
|
Assists |
1 |
0 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
0.3 |
0.3 |
He has had plenty of opportunities over the years, with Manchester United, Leeds, and Fulham, to show that he can be a consistent performer in the Premier League, but he has failed to do so.
The Whites, therefore, should be looking to cash in on him, should any teams be interested in signing, before the end of the window in order to make way for a new attacker who could have more to offer at the top end of the pitch.
Leeds talks to sign star could be the end for Dan James
Tarik Muharemovic and James Trafford have already been brought in for big money, at £34m and £40m respectively, and the club are now looking at a big-money winger who could send James packing.
TEAMtalk reports that Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign Marseille winger Igor Paixao before the end of the summer transfer window.
The outlet claims that the two teams are in talks about a deal to send goalkeeper Lucas Perri to France, and the Brazilian winger has been brought up as part of the ongoing discussions.
It adds, though, that the Ligue 1 side want a fee of £43m for the attacker, who is not currently pushing to leave Marseille, which means that there are still hurdles for the Whites to clear if they want to bring him to Elland Road.
Should the 49ers decide to splash the cash on a £43m deal to bring Paixao to West Yorkshire, James could find himself inching closer to the exit door.
The Brazilian’s arrival at Elland Road would mean that the Welshman would be the third-choice option in both of his favoured positions, behind Paixao and Noah Okafor on the left and Wilson and Aaronson on the right.
|
25/26 season |
Paixao (L1) |
James (PL) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
19 |
|
Goals |
6 |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
5 |
1 |
|
xA |
2.64 |
0.73 |
|
Assists |
5 |
0 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
0.9 |
0.3 |
Marseille’s forward reached double figures for goal contributions in Ligue 1 in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst James failed to record a single goal contribution in the Premier League.
It should go without saying, therefore, that the former Feyenoord attacker would be ahead of the ex-Man United winger in the pecking order on the left flank.
Wilson has been signed to play on the right side of the attack, after scoring ten goals in the league last term for Fulham, and Aaronson racked up four goals and five assists in the top-flight for Leeds whilst playing ahead of James on the right.
Okafor, of course, was the regular starter on the left side last season for the Whites and scored eight goals in the Premier League, which shows that the Welshman would be behind all of those players in the pecking order on each flank.
The signing of Paixao, should Leeds get a deal over the line, could be the final straw for James, who would be left facing the prospect of getting very little game time in the league this season.
That is why this potential move could end up being the end of the Wales international at Elland Road, as it could force him to consider his short-term future at the club in the current window.
