Dean Jones has told Give Me Sport that it looks as if Dan James has played his last game for Leeds United after the Welsh winger was shipped out on loan to Fulham on deadline day – with Leeds deciding to bring in Willy Gnonto.
James, 25, left Leeds in the final hours of the window after a decision was made regarding his game time. It is believed that James wanted to play regularly with the World Cup this winter. Leeds could not going to give him that.
Jack Harrison is one of the first names on the team sheet on the left flank. On the right, new signing Luis Sinisterra already has three goals since joining the club from Feyenoord. So, James was always likely to be on the bench.
That has seen James decide to go and in his place, Leeds moved quickly to complete the signing of Gnonto from Zurich. The loan is one without a permanent clause, but Jones claims he might have played his last game for Leeds.
“All signs suggest that that’s it for him now. I mean, they wouldn’t be letting him out on loan to another Premier League club, which is essentially going to be a kind of rival in terms of league position, to then bring him back.”
Jones says James has played his last game for Leeds after Fulham loan
It is an interesting one. £52k-a-week James has of course joined Fulham on a dry loan. This gives Leeds the chance to make a decision next summer. If he sparkles at Fulham, Leeds might want to keep him. His value will go up.
That, in turn, might make it difficult for Fulham to buy him. Indeed, James cost Leeds £25million just 12 months ago to sign from Manchester United. It is unlikely they are going to charge anything much less than that figure.
It all depends on how James performs for Fulham over the course of the next nine months – and at the World Cup. Leeds then have two choices, sell for a decent price, or keep him. If he struggles, they will have to sell on the cheap.
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