---
title: "Leeds: Phil Hay thinks Dan James’ Elland Road career could be over"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-phil-hay-thinks-dan-james-elland-road-career-could-be-over/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Leeds United News"
published: "2022-09-05T06:19:14Z"
modified: "2022-09-05T06:19:14Z"
---

# Leeds: Phil Hay thinks Dan James’ Elland Road career could be over

**[Leeds United](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-news/) correspondent [Phil Hay](https://theathletic.com/3558221/2022/09/02/leeds-fans-discuss-the-brentford-game-with-our-writer-phil-hay/) thinks that Dan James’ Elland Road career could be over following his loan move to Fulham.**

### The Lowdown: Deadline Day move

The Whites were [on the hunt for](https://t.co/ktyLltloKq) a new forward on deadline day, with the Welshman being sacrificed in a [one-in, one-out scenario](https://twitter.com/PhilHay_/status/1566103760094593024). The 24-year-old eventually made a loan move to Fulham, who hold an [option](https://twitter.com/PhilHay_/status/1565595418800623618) to sign him permanently next summer.

James, who has been hailed by Wales head coach Robert Page as [‘unbelievable’ and ‘talented’](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10656919/Robert-Page-insists-goals-come-talented-Daniel-James.html), made his Fulham debut off the bench on Saturday, with Leeds ultimately bringing in teenager [Wilfried Gnonto](https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/30323/leeds-united-complete-deadline-day-deal-for-wilfried-gnonto) from FC Zurich.

### The Latest: Hay’s claim

Talking in a Q&A for [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/3558221/2022/09/02/leeds-fans-discuss-the-brentford-game-with-our-writer-phil-hay/) about James, Hay thinks that the Wales international won’t return under Jesse Marsch next season.

The reporter claimed: “I don’t think I see Dan James coming back, or it feels like a long shot.

“James is 24. He’s not especially young and Leeds have essentially said to him that they can do without him this season.”

\[freshpress-poll id=”408362″\]

### The Verdict: The new Costa?

Leeds have spent big on a winger in the past only for things to not work out, with [£15m](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/leeds-sign-helder-costa-wolves-17375948) acquisition Helder Costa the prime example.

He has [hardly featured](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/118127/History/H%C3%A9lder-Costa) for the Whites over the past 18 months and spent last season on loan with Valencia. The 28-year-old is now with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia but is still under contract at Elland Road until [2024](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/helder-costa/profil/spieler/173900), having managed only [eight goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/helder-costa/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/173900/verein/399) in 71 games for his parent club.

James cost [£25m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12395604/daniel-james-leeds-agree-25m-fee-with-man-utd-for-wales-winger) from Manchester United last year but did not make the desired impact, netting just [four times in 36](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/302313/History/Daniel-James) Premier League outings for Leeds until his loan exit for west London last week.

The 24-year-old is under contract until [2026](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-james/profil/spieler/319301), so if he struggles at Craven Cottage, there’s every chance that he’ll be back at Thorp Arch next summer, with Fulham having the right to refuse a permanent move.