I mOst WantED, Believe IN bloGGed pOweR...: 'Electric, like Usain Bolt' - what Daniel James will give Manchester United

Date of Birth (Age): Nov 10, 1997 (21)

Place of Birth: England

Beverley

Citizenship: Wales

Wales

Position: Left Winger

Agent: Stellar Football Ltd

Current international: Wales

Caps/Goals: 4/1

After completing the £15-million signing of 21-year-old Swansea winger Daniel James, we look at what sort of player Manchester United are getting.

'I’ve not seen anyone as quick as him in my whole career'

It's tempting to try and be a bit different and start with one of James' less obvious talents, but it would be contrary not to begin with the main reason Manchester United have parted with £15 million: his pace.

James is rapid, lightning, bare fast. However you like to describe pace, James is it.

The most electrifying example to date was the quite extraordinary goal he scored against Brentford in the FA Cup.

Following the conclusion of Manchester United's Premier League season, the club have been linked with all manner of players but the first signing is nearly over the line.
United confirmed on Friday that they had agreed a deal in principle with Swansea City over the signing of 21-year-old winger Daniel James .
Amid talk of a major summer rebuild at Old Trafford and with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the look-out for homegrown players with potential to play 'the United Way', and James seems to fit the bill.
James fits United's preference for signing young British players rather than more 'marketable' megastars in the summer and reports on the 21-year-old bode fairly well if the Reds are to turn the transfer speculation into something more concrete.
Here's the lowdown on James and whether he's ready to make the required step-up to play for United...

THE SWANSEA VERDICT

WalesOnline's Swansea City correspondent Ian Mitchelmore describes James as a "versatile winger who possesses blistering pace" with "truly phenomenal ability to beat a man".

Although four goals and seven assists in the Championship this season is a fairly modest return — especially in the context a move to United — Mitchelmore believes James has improved in terms of end product, as well as possessing that searing speed.

"His end product significantly improved as the campaign wore on," he said.

"He was slowly eased into first team proceedings by (manager) Graham Potter earlier on in the campaign, but after showing glimpses of his talents, James' role swiftly became a more prominent one."

James is comfortable on either flank and has also played as a centre-forward and in the No.10 role this season. Mitchelmore explains how his stock has risen in the wake of eye-catching displays in front of the TV cameras for club and country.

"Outstanding individual displays against the likes of Brentford and Man City — and against Slovakia with Wales — were proof of how immensely gifted a footballer he is," he added.

"But it's the sheer consistency of his performances since January that have been the most impressive, and they've been an example of how James has been so strong mentally since a failed move to Leeds United on deadline day."

WHETHER HE FITS FOR UNITED

"I think he's the type of player that could flourish under Solskjaer," added Mitchelmore.

"He fits the Manchester United ethos, and there's no questioning the fact that he's a player who can get fans off their seats. He held his own against Man City in the FA Cup and sparkled on his competitive debut for Wales, scoring the winner in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Slovakia, so — despite not playing above the Championship at club level — he's certainly proven himself when facing stellar opponents."

James "has all of the tools at his disposal to become a really top player" according to those who've seen him up close and has been tipped for success at United by Wales teammate Joe Allen, among others. Welsh boss and United legend Ryan Giggs is a big fan.

The club and fans alike will hope that delight and pride will translate itself into determination and hard work when pre-season begins in barely a fortnight's time. Lord knows United need hungry players to erase the memories of what became a shambolic 2018/19 campaign.

James will link up with his new teammates when the squad reports for pre-season and will be on the plane to Australia in early July as United begin their preparations in earnest.

But one question that is always a popular one among supporters remains unanswered.

What shirt number will James be wearing for United?

Compact

Detailed

Competition
Total 18/19:		38	5	10	2	-	-	2.815'
	Championship	33	4	9	2	-	-	2.506'
	FA Cup	4	1	1	-	-	-	219'
	EFL Cup	1	-	-	-	-	-	90'

CHAMPIONSHIP

Compact

Detailed

Matchday	Date	Venue			Result	Pos.
1	8/4/18	A	(10.)	Sheffield Utd. (2.)	1:2	Not in squad
2	8/11/18	H	(5.)	Preston NE (8.)	1:0	Not in squad
3	8/17/18	A	(3.)	Birmingham (24.)	0:0	RW				26'
4	8/21/18	H	(6.)	Leeds (1.)	2:2	on the bench
5	8/25/18	H	(6.)	Bristol City (13.)	0:1	on the bench
6	9/1/18	A	(10.)	Millwall (16.)	1:2	RW				60'
7	9/15/18	H	(7.)	Nottm Forest (14.)	0:0	Not in squad
8	9/18/18	A	(6.)	Stoke City (20.)	1:0	CF				72'
9	9/22/18	A	(10.)	Middlesbrough (2.)	0:0	LW				29'
10	9/29/18	H	(14.)	QPR (16.)	3:0	on the bench
11	10/2/18	A	(7.)	Wigan (8.)	0:0	on the bench
12	10/6/18	H	(7.)	Ipswich (22.)	2:3	LW				90'
13	10/20/18	A	(11.)	Aston Villa (15.)	1:0	RW				40'
14	10/23/18	H	(14.)	Blackburn (7.)	3:1	RW		1		90'
15	10/27/18	H	(10.)	Reading (21.)	2:0	LW		2		88'
16	11/3/18	A	(8.)	Rotherham (21.)	2:1	LW		1		90'
17	11/10/18	A	(9.)	Bolton (19.)	0:1	LW				76'
18	11/24/18	H	(8.)	Norwich (1.)	1:4	LW	1			90'
19	11/28/18	H	(10.)	West Brom (4.)	1:2	LW			69'	77'
20	12/1/18	A	(10.)	Derby (7.)	2:1	CF				89'
21	12/8/18	A	(12.)	Brentford (16.)	2:3	Not in squad
22	12/15/18	H	(11.)	Sheff Wed (16.)	2:1	Not in squad
23	12/22/18	A	(9.)	Hull City (16.)	3:2	LW				13'
24	12/26/18	H	(11.)	Aston Villa (10.)	0:1	LW				62'
25	12/29/18	H	(11.)	Wigan (19.)	2:2	LM				90'
26	1/1/19	A	(12.)	Reading (23.)	1:4	on the bench
27	1/12/19	A	(11.)	Preston NE (17.)	1:1	on the bench
28	1/19/19	H	(12.)	Sheffield Utd. (2.)	1:0	LW				45'
29	1/29/19	H	(9.)	Birmingham (18.)	3:3	LW	1		45'	90'
30	2/2/19	A	(11.)	Bristol City (6.)	2:0	Not in squad
31	2/9/19	H	(12.)	Millwall (19.)	1:0	LW				90'
32	2/13/19	A	(10.)	Leeds (2.)	2:1	LW				68'
34	2/23/19	A	(9.)	Sheff Wed (13.)	3:1	LW				90'
35	3/2/19	H	(10.)	Bolton (23.)	2:0	SS		1		90'
36	3/8/19	A	(9.)	Norwich (1.)	1:0	CF				90'
37	3/13/19	A	(11.)	West Brom (4.)	3:0	CF				90'
39	3/30/19	A	(12.)	Nottm Forest (11.)	2:1	LW				90'
33	4/2/19	H	(11.)	Brentford (15.)	3:0	LW	1	1		82'
40	4/6/19	H	(13.)	Middlesbrough (8.)	3:1	LW		1		69'
41	4/9/19	H	(13.)	Stoke City (15.)	3:1	LW	1			87'
42	4/13/19	A	(11.)	QPR (18.)	4:0	LW				90'
43	4/19/19	H	(13.)	Rotherham (22.)	4:3	LW		1		90'
44	4/22/19	A	(10.)	Ipswich (24.)	0:1	CF				90'
45	4/27/19	H	(9.)	Hull City (13.)	2:2	LW		1		90'
38	5/1/19	H	(12.)	Derby (7.)	1:1	LW				84'
46	5/5/19	A	(9.)	Blackburn (15.)	2:2	Not in squad
Squad: 39, Starting eleven: 28, Substituted in: 5, On the bench: 6, Suspended: 0, Injured: 0

FA CUP

Compact

Detailed

Matchday	Date	Venue		Result	Pos.
Third Round	1/5/19	A	Aston Villa	0:3	LW			18'
Fourth Round	1/26/19	H	Gillingham FC	4:1	LW		1	21'
Fifth Round	2/17/19	H	Brentford	4:1	RW	1		90'
Sixth Round	3/16/19	H	Man City	2:3	LW			90'
Squad: 4, Starting eleven: 2, Substituted in: 2, On the bench: 0, Suspended: 0, Injured: 0