Dan James wows former Leeds United manager who previously loaned him out
Dan James has been an integral part of the Leeds United starting XI under Daniel Farke.
James won Leeds’ Player of the Season award as his 12 goals and nine assists helped fire United to the Championship title.
However, James wasn’t always a key player at Elland Road, struggling as a makeshift striker for large portions of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign as Leeds narrowly avoided relegation.
The Wales international was then loaned out the following season, with his future in West Yorkshire seemingly up in the air, and the manager who chose to allow the winger to move on loan to Fulham recently commented on his former player.
Jesse Marsch full of praise for Dan James ahead of the pair’s reunion
James’ form last season earned him a contract extension with Leeds, which is a huge shift in the way he is currently viewed by the club compared to how Marsch viewed him in his time as Leeds boss.
The American manager loaned James out to a direct Premier League rival in Fulham for the 2022/23 campaign.
- The winger struggled to find his feet in the capital and returned to Leeds after an underwhelming season
- By the time James returned, Marsch had been sacked
- James would then go on to be one of the Whites’ most important players under Farke
Marsch and James are set to go head-to-head as Wales take on Canada on Tuesday, with the former United boss now being the manager of the latter.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Marsch spoke highly of the player he deemed surplus to requirements at Leeds.
“Dan James is a great guy,” he said.
“A great player, really committed, a team guy. Very dynamic, high quality. I really like Dan as a person and as a player.”
This season is Dan James’ last chance to impress in the Premier League
At 27, this is likely James’ last chance to impress fully in the top flight.
If Leeds are relegated, with the winger having another poor campaign in the Premier League, he will be unlikely to get another chance to prove himself in the division.
Whilst he would be a useful commodity to have in the Championship in the event of a relegation, James would likely be sold by the 49ers following any subsequent promotion.
James has been a part of an incredibly blunt forward line so far this season, that have failed to score from open play in their opening three games.
If Leeds want to avoid the drop, this has to change and quickly, with James in particular starting the season poorly.
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