EFL Championship 2018/19 Tactical Analysis: What would Daniel James bring to Manchester United?

May has seen Swanseas 21-year-old Welsh winger Daniel James heavily linked with a move to Manchester United. James enjoyed a breakout season at the Liberty under Graham Potter and has earned rave reviews for his performances. This tactical analysis looks at the statistics behind his rise and how his style of play fits in at Manchester United.

Background: Daniel James

Daniel James came through the ranks at Hull City prior to joining Swansea in 2014. He then rose through the U18s and U23s at Swansea to make his first-team debut in February 2018. He made his league debut for Swansea in August 2018, at the start of this season, and has since gone on to become a vital player for the Swans as well as making two appearances for Wales, scoring in the win over Slovakia. In January, James was at Elland Road to complete a move to Leeds United, but the deal fell through at the last minute and James returned to Swansea. Now, four months later, James is set to join Manchester United. His return of five goals and ten assists in all competitions is decent, but hardly what caused Uniteds interest in a Championship player. As this analysis will show, James has some attributes that can make him a decisive player also at the highest level.

Tactical analysis: What would Daniel James bring to Manchester United?

Now, let us take a look at what James would bring to Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Mainly, the abilities that are sure to have attracted Uniteds interest is his quality in the final third, his immense pace and direct dribbling threat as well as his ability to press aggressively.

Quality in the final third

Firstly, James has huge potential in his decision-making in the final third. Sure, with only one full season of first-team football, James is inexperienced, but he has plenty of interesting attributes. The image below highlights James making a throughpass to set up a goalscoring opportunity for a Swansea teammate. He first dribbles into the space, then spots the run before providing a perfect pass.

James is very calm around the box, where it is normally quite chaotic and many players panic. James, however, remains calm and looks for the best option. The image below is a telling example. From this position, James could have had a shot or played it slightly backwards to Gareth Bale. Instead, James spots his teammate at far post making a run into the empty space. He plays the pass and sets up a great chance for Wales.

James ability