Leeds Must Sell Bielsa Signing as He Doesn’t Suit Farke

Leeds United need to move on from Dan James in 2027, as he simply doesn’t suit Daniel Farke.

James made the move to Leeds back in 2021 for a fee of around £25 million, which was a club record at the time.

The Welsh international joined the club from fellow Premier League side Manchester United under Marcelo Bielsa and is one of the very few players remaining from that era.

James has struggled to cement himself as a regular starter in Farke’s side so far this season, but he was given a start against Bournemouth at the weekend.

The Yorkshire club succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the Vitality Stadium, despite producing a fairly strong performance.

Farke was incredibly frustrated with the result and felt that Leeds did deserve more, but they ultimately failed to pick up a point.

A huge error from James Trafford cost them and left them chasing the game, but there were some poor, poor performances elsewhere on the pitch.

James is one player who, although he didn’t have a disastrous performance, it’s clear to see that he simply doesn’t suit Farke’s style of play.

The Welsh international is a touchline winger who likes to get chalk on his boots and be a threat in behind.

Given Farke has usually been lining up with the likes of Brendan Aaronson in this position, it’s clear that he wants more central players who can play in between the lines.

James simply doesn’t suit that role, and he’s also not defensively solid enough to play at wing-back.

That leaves James in a difficult position, as he doesn’t really suit a specific role in the team. When he is given an opportunity to impress, he rarely does so.

James did score in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest earlier in the season from right wing-back, but that further proves he isn’t suited to one of the more attacking roles.

Time for Leeds to cash in

With James still having three years remaining on his contract, Leeds should still be able to demand a reasonable fee for him. There’s no doubt he could be a useful player in certain systems, which is why a club might be willing to pay something for him.

Leeds need to find a specialist number 10 who is capable of playing in Farke’s system, as that will help them go to the next level.

Farke has struggled to find the right formula in those areas of the pitch, with Harry Wilson, one of Leeds’ 2026 summer signings, flattering to deceive since his arrival, and Aaronson producing inconsistent performances.

That should be the next priority in 2027 for Leeds, and selling James to fund that would be a smart move.