Leeds United have an incredibly difficult task ahead of them following their 100-point Championship season that earned them promotion to the Premier League.
The last six teams that have been promoted to the top-flight have been instantly relegated back down to the second tier, including Southampton, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Luton Town, Sheffield United, and Burnley.
Daniel Farke has first-hand experience of how hard it is to keep a team in the Premier League after promotion. He suffered relegation with Norwich City after his first title at Carrow Road, before being sacked during the Canaries’ second relegation straight after promotion.
The German head coach has to be backed by the 49ers in the summer transfer window to ensure that he has a squad that is capable of competing week-in-week-out in the top-flight.
There are some players in the current squad who may not be able to make the step up in quality, which is evidenced by the last six teams failing to stay up, and Dan James is one of those whose suitability for next season is up for debate.
Why Leeds have a Dan James dilemma this summer
The Wales international played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League with his attacking contributions from the right wing, and was nominated for the Championship Player of the Season award.
James also caught the eye with his performances in the second tier during the 2023/24 campaign, only for Leeds to fall short in the play-off final against Southampton.
The former Manchester United forward scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in the Championship this term, after a return of 13 goals and seven assists last term, which shows that he provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
There is, therefore, no doubt that James is a star at that level because he has proven himself in a Leeds shirt over the past two seasons, but that does not mean that he is guaranteed to be a key figure in the Premier League for the Whites.
Appearances
33
15
34
24
Goals
3
3
4
2
Conversion rate
7%
18%
7%
12%
Key passes per game
0.8
0.7
0.8
0.4
Big chances created
6
2
5
3
Assists
6
1
4
1
As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old attacker has already played four seasons of Premier League football in his career, for Manchester United, Leeds, and Fulham, and is yet to score more than four goals in one campaign.
He also failed to create at least one chance per game for his teammates in any of those four seasons, which shows that he did not provide regular quality as a scorer or a creator.
This is why Leeds have a dilemma with James this summer because it remains to be seen if he can finally be a success in the top-flight, but the 49ers could improve his chances of being a success by landing the club’s latest reported target.
Leeds eyeing bargain swoop for Premier League ace
According to talkSPORT, Leeds United are interested in a deal to sign West Ham United right-back Vladimir Coufal in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the 49ers are looking for more top-flight experience in their squad and have identified the Czechia international as a target ahead of their Premier League campaign.
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It also reveals that Coufal, who wants to stay in the Premier League, was told by the Hammers that they would not be extending his current contract at the London Stadium, which means that he will become a free agent, and a bargain signing for his next club, at the end of June.
TalkSPORT adds that David Moyes, who managed the right-back during his tenure at West Ham, is also interested in signing the experienced defender for Everton.
The 49ers must push to win the race to sign the 32-year-old full-back because he could be the perfect addition to help Dan James thrive in the top-flight.
Why Vladimir Coufal could be perfect for Dan James
Whilst current Leeds right-back Jayden Bogle enjoyed a fine season in the Championship, scoring six goals and providing four assists, there are still question marks over his defensive abilities in the Premier League.
He started 32 matches for a Sheffield United team that conceded a record 104 goals in 38 games last term, and started 12 times in the Blades team that finished bottom on 23 points with 63 goals conceded in the 2020/21 campaign.
Whereas West Ham have conceded fewer than 60 goals in four of Coufal’s five Premier League seasons with the Hammers, since his move from Sparta Prague in the summer of 2020.
The 32-year-old star has played a key role in many of those seasons, thanks to the defensive stability that he provides at right-back as a solid operator in a back four.
Appearances
20
36
27
28
34
Dribbled past per game
0.6x
1.0x
0.5x
0.6x
1.1x
Ground duel success rate
47%
50%
54%
52%
57%
Aerial duel success rate
60%
52%
65%
49%
56%
Error led to shot
1
0
0
1
1
Error led to goal
0
0
0
0
0
As you can see in the table above, Coufal has not made a single error that has directly led to a goal in his Premier League career, and he has only been dribbled past more than once per match on average in one of those five seasons.
Bogle was dribbled past 53 times in 46 top-flight games for Sheffield United, which suggests that attacking players find it easier to get past the English defender, and that is why Leeds signing Coufal could be perfect for Dan James.
Having a right-back who has proven that he can be defensive solid at Premier League level could allow Farke to keep the Welsh forward high and wide on the right flank, giving the team an outlet to hit on the counter attack by using his pace to push teams back and get in behind in counter-attacking situations.
Coufal, once dubbed “outstanding” by Declan Rice, may not need as much support as the defensively susceptible Bogle, on the right, which would free up James to stay further up the pitch when Leeds are defending.
As shown by his famous goal for Swansea in the clip above, the Wales international has electric pace on the counter attack and the Whites could utilise that effectively by ensuring that they have a defensively solid right-back who does not need constant support out of possession.
This is why Coufal, particularly on a free transfer, could be a perfect signing to come in and compete with Bogle for a spot in the team next season.
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