James nearly joined Leeds over Man Utd but Swansea didn't trust them to pay up

Daniel James’ career could have been ever so different if he had completed a move to Leeds United in January 2019, six months before he went on to Manchester United, something he came very close to doing.

The Wales international joined the Red Devils from Swansea last summer and has been a regular in the first team ever since, making 37 appearances in his debut season so far.

He has had more of an impact than many would have expected given that he had never played in the Premier League before, and had made less than 40 appearances in the Championship.

However, the move may well not have happened if he had signed for Leeds last January, a move that was scuppered by then Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins who was not on board with the deal at all.

An agreement had been made between the clubs for James to go to Elland Road on loan with the possibility of a £2m summer move. However, Jenkins didn’t see any value in the deal and didn’t even trust the Yorkshire club to pay the loan fee for another six months.

‘I was told a deal was in place for Dan to go to Leeds. It made no sense to me, not for Swansea City financially because there was nothing in it for us,’ Jenkins told Wales Online.

‘As much as others felt the deal could have been done and we could have got something out of it, to me Dan going up to Leeds at the time, risk injury, us rely on a summer transfer, was wrong. I wasn’t even sure Leeds would pay the loan fee until the summer.

‘Dan was an important part of that. In playing regularly for us, we felt we would get more value out of any future deal. Not just for the club financially, but for Dan himself. And, of course, he has done really well at Man Utd and also for Wales.

‘Whether he is playing well or not, Dan has this inner spirit, believes he is a good player. That’s important, you need that mentality as a Manchester United footballer.’

The flying winger ended up going to Manchester United for £15m, so it was extremely wise from Jenkins, as was the sale of Oli McBurnie, which he is keen to point out.

‘Swansea City got a much bigger transfer fee, Dan got a better move,’ said Jenkins. ‘That Leeds business was the final thing I did as Swansea chairman, my parting shot if you like, the last involvement. Although, of course, shortly after I left they also got £20m from Sheffield United for McBurnie.

‘We got Dan for £75,000 from Hull, Oli for £100,00 from Bradford. Not a bad bit of business.’

Jenkins is now hoping to get back into football after leaving Swansea in February last year, with a takeover of Charlton one of his possible next steps.

‘Since I finished over a year ago I have been looking around for something that’s a good challenge, getting the football side right at a club,he said.

‘I’m looking at opportunities, whether that’s Charlton, owning a club or working with people who already own clubs.’

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