Daniel James offered Leeds United redemption opportunity as Daniel Farke makes pre-season decision
Big-money Leeds United attacker Daniel James may have been given a chance to redeem his Elland Road career as Daniel Farke makes a critical pre-season decision.
James, 25, joined Fulham on a season-long loan deal on 1 September to get first-team opportunities last season after the 2022 summer signings of Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra but only played 23 times in the Premier League for the London club.
The former Manchester United forward has struggled throughout the last two campaigns, only resigned to substitute appearances and bit-part roles in the domestic cups after being forced out by the Leeds United board last summer.
However, in a new and positive twist concerning his career in West Yorkshire, new boss Daniel Farke has seemingly offered him a shot at redemption.
According to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post (10 July), Farke has asked for seats on the club’s plane to Norway for pre-season to be kept open for the likes of Daniel James ahead of their clash against his former club Manchester United in Oslo on Wednesday (12 July).
It’s believed that Farke has asked for a few open seats on the plane as decisions are made on who goes and who stays back to work on their conditioning.
Leeds Live reported on 31 May that James is expected to stay at Elland Road for the forthcoming campaign and new boss Farke wants the Welshman to feature against their Roses derby rivals in the first pre-season game on Wednesday (12 July).
After being forced out of the club on loan after the arrivals of Willy Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson, which added to the attacking options of Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo, Crysencio Summerville, Jack Harrison and Sinisterra, the player is still on the club’s books too, could now be one of the key players to kick-start their Premier League promotion ambitions.
James has looked like a shadow of the former self he showed earlier in his Manchester United spell where he took the Premier League by storm with his frightening electric pace and swift maturity at such a high level after his move from Swansea City.
The 25-year-old, since then, has been on the backburners and a forgotten man at all three clubs since that period with his only telling performances coming on international duty for Wales.
With Leeds United set to lose a number of their top signings over the past couple of years in the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams, Farke will be desperate to keep a number of players at the club to ensure they are well-prepared to challenge ahead of the new season.
James can undoubtedly count himself as one of those established players to stay and the Welshman certainly has a huge part to play in Farke’s new system at Elland Road, should he impress in the game against his former club on Wednesday which could prove the decisive factor.
While the lure of the Premier League may be too tempting for James to reject this summer, it seems as if he needs a new lease of life again in the Championship before he can prove that he is an established Premier League name in the immediate future.
Farke’s expansive and attacking formula may well allow James the freedom and opportunity to perform to his utmost standards at Elland Road for the forthcoming campaign, and this is an opportunity he desperately needs to take with the 25-year-old now entering the most crucial years of his career.
No pressure. He’s got to grab this redemption chance with both hands.
In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports journalist has reacted to “insanely exciting” news out of Elland Road.