Dan James isn’t Manchester United standard but will be problem at Leeds United, claims Rio Ferdinand
Daniel James made 74 appearances for Manchester United
|With Daniel James signing for Leeds United, Rio Ferdinand believes that the 23-year-old was never up to Manchester United standard but will do well at Leeds United and under Marcelo Bielsa. The Welsh winger signed for the Red Devils in the summer of 2019, and made 74 appearances for the club.
Despite enjoying a blistering start to his career with Manchester United, things never really progressed for Daniel James with the forward struggling for consistency. It saw him also struggle for game-time with just 15 appearances last season, following a 33 game 2019/20 season. However, the 23-year-old managed to net just 9 goals along the way. But with Jesse Lingard’s return from loan alongside the arrivals of both Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, it saw James sold to Leeds United for a fee of around £25 million.
The Welsh forward was linked with a move to Elland Road more than two and a half-years ago but technical issues meant that no move took place. It has seen Rio Ferdinand admit that while he believes that James wasn’t “Man Utd standard”, the forward will fit well under Marcelo Bielsa. Ferdinand also added that the way Leeds play suits James' style and ability on the ball and also believes that it should be “a fantastic move for both parties.”
"They’ve been on him for ages, they’ve wanted this boy for time. Listen, Dan James, I don’t think he’s Man Utd standard, but he’s definitely Premier League standard and the way Leeds play, he’s going to be a problem for a few teams,” Ferdinand told his Five YouTube channel.
"The kid in that team will be getting the ball and getting forward quick, and that suits his game. When you have to break down two banks of four like Man Utd that doesn’t suit James’ game, he likes space. Leeds United for Dan James will be a fantastic move for both parties."
