Inside track on Dan the man’s rise from Swans hero to Red Devils ace...
ONE year ago this week, Daniel James’ big-money move from Swansea City to Manchester United was officially confirmed.
The Red Devils paid an initial fee of £15m – a sum that could rise to £18m with add-ons – to take the Welsh winger to Old Trafford.
James is set to return to action when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side face Tottenham next week having impressed in his debut campaign with United so far.
And we spoke to those who know him best from his time at Swansea to find out how the youngster became one of the most sought-after talents having previously considered quitting the game...
THE CHANCE TO SHINE
SWANSEA’S seven-year stay in the Premier League came to an end in 2018. But while it proved to be a time of anger and devastation for the Jack Army, many learned to focus on the positives. The return of the ‘Swansea Way’ was certainly one of them.
Just 12 months earlier, James was sent out on loan to Shrewsbury but returned to South Wales only two months later after failing to play a single minute of action for the League One outfit.
“I think it was the down point in my career. I went to Shrewsbury on loan, I came back within a month and hadn’t played a game – injured and feeling sorry for myself really.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it as a footballer. Obviously you had people behind you saying ‘you’ve got the chance’, but within myself - going on loan, not playing and coming
Daniel James:
back, I really didn’t think this was for me.
“I think I had 10 games that season altogether, with injuries as well.
“Coming back the next season was the same. I wanted to go back on loan but the gaffer who was there at the time – he’s at Brighton now – said to me ‘I feel like you’ve got a big chance to play here’.”
After scoring on his first-team debut against Notts County in the FA Cup under Carlos Carvalhal, James got his chance to shine under Graham Potter in the Championship.
“The key thing Swansea had was the only advantage of being relegated - those boys would be blooded.”
Cameron Toshack: THE LEEDS SAGA
A MISERABLE January transfer window looked set to be summed up on deadline day as James was on the brink of joining Championship rivals Leeds United.
But the move to Elland Road collapsed in spectacular fashion at the 11th hour.
Huw Jenkins:
“When I was first invited to run the club the directors gave me a lot of freedom. We had a good system in place, they had trust in me and provided good support. People like Martin Morgan, Leigh Dineen were excellent.
“With the changes gradually more and more people were getting involved. I recall with Dan James there were six people interfering, trying to make a decision that day.
“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.
“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.
“I spoke to Graham Potter about it. Remember, part of his mantra was to bring through younger players while making the team competitive. Dan was an important part of that. Graham wanted him to remain until the end of the season and play for Swansea. 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.
“So Swansea City got a much bigger transfer fee, Dan got a better move. That Leeds business was the final thing I did as Swansea chairman, my parting shot if you like, the last involvement.”
THE RAPID RISE
FOLLOWING that failed transfer, James lit up the Liberty on a regular basis as Swansea clicked in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign.
Five of the six goals he scored under Potter came in the final months of the season while he chalked up a number of assists too.
Fans were taken aback by James’ stunning rise. And it seems those close to him were too, including a certain Ryan Giggs who witnessed the winger’s sensational display against Stoke City in the flesh.
Ryan Giggs: “I touched on the turning point with the Leeds thing and it could have gone the other way.
“It could have sidetracked the rest of the season, but he was good before Christmas and then kicked on another level after that.
“I was at the Swansea vs Stoke game and it was as good a wing performance as I’ve seen in a long time. He got two lads sent off and scored a worldy.”
“He’s the quickest thing I’ve ever seen,” the Scot told
Oli McBurnie:
“He shouldn’t be that quick, he’s a little fat white kid. He shouldn’t be able to do what he does.
“That move for him is unreal.
“If you’d have seen any of the games from the second half of Swansea last season, he just took the p***.
“He got about four people sent off in 15 games because no-one knew how to deal with him.”
“Last season, I think the turning point was after his move to Leeds didn’t go through. He came back and everyone thought ‘what’s going to happen?’
“In the first half of the season he was getting better, but after that [failed Leeds move] it was just bang, bang, bang.
“Because of his mentality, he must have just thought ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’.
“Those games after that, he was just unplayable.”
Brandon Cooper: Graham Potter:
“If you look at the performance [against Stoke], if you are being honest it’s above Championship level.
“That was as good an individual performance as I have ever witnessed when you consider Stoke are a good team with good players who are well organised and do not concede many goals.
“I have run out of superlatives to be honest. It was his fourth game in 11 days. His ability to run, his desire to run, his courage and then his quality – we’re just lucky to witness it.”
THE INEVITABLE DEPARTURE...
BY the time of his move, James had already won two Wales caps, the second of which saw him score the winner in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Slovakia at Cardiff City Stadium.
Giggs was a key cog in James’ transfer to the North West of England. But the scale of the move was simply mind-blowing to those at SA1.
“With Man United being such a big club, it’s taken everyone by surprise how quickly he went from Swansea to there.
“DJ is something you don’t see every day. He’s different. He brings a different threat, and even from a young age, you just knew he’d be trouble for opponents.
“It was crazy when it happened but since he’s been there he’s done great and he’s shown he’s worthy of playing for such a great club.”
Brandon Cooper: Oli McBurnie (speaking in 2019):
“DJ actually rang me the other day when I was sat on a plane and said: ‘I can’t believe it, Oli, I couldn’t get a game [on loan] at Shrewsbury last season and now I’m at Man United. I can’t believe the mad way football works’.
BECOMING A TOP-FLIGHT STAR
THE 22-year-old has registered six Premier League assists in his debut campaign with United so far, scoring four goals in all competitions.
Despite proving his worth on the big stage, James remains as grounded as ever. And he keeps in regular contact with those he forged special memories with at SA1.
“I exchange text
Cameron Toshack: