Credit: Imago

Declan Carr

Thu 19 March 2026 19:10, UK

Dan James has struggled to have an impact on Leeds United‘s Premier League campaign this season.

The Welsh winger was pivotal to the Whites’ success in the Championship, with 12 goals and nine assists, but he has not been able to recreate that in the top-flight.

James has featured just 14 times in the league this season with four starts, failing to register a single goal contribution for Daniel Farke’s side.

The 28-year-old signed a new contract last summer, which means that he will likely not be leaving Leeds anytime soon, despite his miserable form.

What is Dan James’ contract situation at Leeds?

Leeds handed James a four-year contract extension after his stunning form led them to the second-tier title.

James is now contracted at Elland Road until 2029 after agreeing fresh terms with the Peacocks last summer.

The 49ers Enterprises group may now regret that decision as the former Manchester United man has not been the same player this season.

What has gone wrong for James?

It has been a stop-start campaign for James, with injuries taking their toll on his performance level.

He missed three league games in the early stages of the campaign with a muscle issue, before being kept out of another 11 matches with a hamstring injury.

He has not been able to form any momentum and play his way into form, as a result of those problems.

Could he leave Leeds soon?

James looks set to face an uncertain future with the LS11 side, according to a report from TEAMtalk on 14 March.

It claimed that while there are question marks over the Welshman and other players, Farke is still appreciative.

No decision is understood to have been made over whether the winger will be allowed to leave when the transfer market reopens.

Why an exit may be best case scenario?

It may be the best outcome for the Whites to sell him, as James has struggled to prove that he belongs at the Premier League level.

Of course, the injury issues have to be taken into account, but they cannot be an excuse for his poor adaptation to the division.

The long contract that they gave him may begin to look foolish if he cannot show his level at some point in the near future.