Manchester United in pole position to sign Welsh sensation: Smart move by Ole

Manchester United are frontrunners to sign Swansea City star Daniel James, it has been claimed.

The Welshman has been involved in 13 goals for Swansea this season, and has attracted the interest of several top clubs in England, including Liverpool and Manchester United.

According to Daily Mail, however, the Red Devils are in pole position to sign James, who has been one of the rising stars in the Championship this season.

Daniel James: A shrewd move by Solskjaer

After being promoted to Swansea’s senior side last summer, James has enjoyed a rich vein of form at the Liberty Stadium. He has emerged as one of Swansea’s key attackers, having featured in 38 games in all competitions.

James is certainly not the most experienced attacker around. But, his ability to drift past defenders coupled with his versatility has impressed the onlookers this season.

Indeed, the 21-year-old has averaged over two dribbles per game with a success rate of 56%. His overall chance creation has also been impressive, with the attacker averaging 1.2 key passes per game – quite a good statistic for a player who is yet to be assigned a steady role in the Swansea attack this season.

Speaking of which, James has featured in a whopping eight different positions for the Swans so far. From full-back to wing and even in central midfield, the Swansea star has covered every area of the pitch. And this versatility could aid a Manchester United side, who have been crippled by their lack of reliable attacking options this season.

James, therefore, could serve as an ideal back-up for the likes of Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford, thus giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer much more freedom in terms of squad rotations.

Additionally, he can also cover the fullback department as well as the midfield department, thanks to his versatility on the pitch.

It is believed that James is currently valued at £10 million, which is barely a snip in the market for a club like Manchester United.

That means the Red Devils will not have to dig deep in their pockets to sign this talented attacker next season. And though financial firepower has never been a weakness for them, it could serve them well as they brace themselves for a potential squad overhaul in the summer.

As for the player, himself, it will be a great opportunity for him to showcase his talents in one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Stat courtesy: Whoscored