Leeds United have sanctioned the loan exit of Daniel James to Fulham for the season. The Wales international is understood to have made the move in an effort to protect his match time ahead of the World Cup.
While Tottenham Hotspur had the strongest links to the winger coming into deadline day, there were multiple Premier League outfits monitoring his situation. Neither Leeds nor James were pushing to make a transfer happen in the days leading up to the window’s deadline.
However, Fulham emerged as front-runners and once the Whites had agreed a fee and personal terms with Bamba Dieng at Thursday lunchtime, the wheels were greased for James’s London switch. While signing pictures were being taken of James in Fulham colours, Leeds were discovering Dieng’s head had been turned.
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Despite the risk of seeing no arrivals before 11pm, the loan move for James was allowed to go ahead and he will now play 2022/23 at Craven Cottage. Jesse Marsch declined to comment on the winger’s situation in Thursday’s press conference, but he discussed it on Tuesday night.
"I like Dan,” he said. “He's been a big part of what we've done here before I came and since I've been here.
“I don't anticipate big movements in the group, but we have to just see what happens in the next 24 hours.”
James’s exit leaves Leeds with Brenden Aaronson, Crysencio Summerville, Jack Harrison, Rodrigo, Luis Sinisterra, Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood and Mateusz Klich as options behind a striker. Reports from Italy suggest Wilfried Gnonto has secured a move to Elland Road, but that is yet to be confirmed.
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