Leeds star looks even more finished than Dan James

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke may already have one eye on what he wants to do when the January transfer window opens for business at the start of next year.

The German head coach has still only signed one attacking player for a transfer fee, Noah Okafor, since the title-winning season in the Championship last year.

Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

In the last three transfer windows, the Whites have mainly brought attacking players in on free transfers or loans, such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Lukas Nmecha, and Jean-Matteo Bahoya.

Because of the lack of investment in the manager’s options at the top end of the pitch, players like Dan James have had fairly important roles despite struggling in the Premier League.

Why Dan James has struggled in the Premier League

The Wales international delivered 12 goals and nine assists in the 2024/25 Championship season when Leeds won the title with 100 points, which suggested that he had the potential to make the step-up to the top-flight.

Unfortunately, it has not played out that way. Instead, the winger has failed to produce a single goal or assist in 22 appearances in the Premier League since the start of last season.

The 28-year-old attacker has the speed and movement to get into dangerous positions in the final third, but the final action, whether that is a pass, shot, cross, or decision, has consistently been below the level required.

James has struggled in the Premier League because he does not have the technical quality required to punish top level defenders and goalkeepers in the same way that he did in the Championship.

What Leeds should do with Dan James in January

Despite his failure to offer a threat as a scorer or a creator of goals in the top-flight, the Welshman can still be a valuable option for Farke to call upon at times.

Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

The experienced forward, who scored in the League Cup against Nottingham Forest in August, can cover multiple positions as a player who has played on the left, on the right, through the middle as a striker, and as a wing-back on both flanks.

James should not be a long-term option, due to his lack of quality in front of goal, but he could be kept for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign as a versatile player to fill gaps when needed.

Whilst the Welshman’s time at Elland Road may be coming to an end by next summer, one of his teammates is looking like they may have to leave even sooner than that.

Leeds star looks more finished than Dan James

Leeds swooped to sign central midfielder Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United for a fee of £12m in the summer of 2025 to add an experienced Premier League campaigner to their ranks.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

He looks like an astute addition to the squad after scoring one goal and providing two assists in his first nine appearances in the Premier League last term, but his fast start quickly fizzled out.

It has been six months since the Englishman last scored a competitive goal for the West Yorkshire outfit, which came in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in April.

It has also been almost a year since his last Premier League start for the club. His last start came in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at the end of November.

In the Premier League so far this season, Longstaff has only played ten minutes across the first six matches and been an unused substitute on four occasions.

He looks even more finished at Elland Road than James, who has played three times and racked up 57 minutes in the division, and could be on the chopping block when the January window opens.

The fact that he has gone 11 months without a star, six months without a goal, and has only played ten minutes in the league this season suggests that Longstaff is not a major part of Farke’s plans moving forward.

That is why the Whites should be looking to find a new home for the experienced midfielder in January, whether that is by sending him out on loan or selling him.