Dan James looks close to securing his Premier League switch on deadline day, after interest from a number of clubs. The Leeds man has been at the front of much of the rumours for Tottenham, as the final day of the transfer window has approached.
Antonio Conte explained that if anymore players were to leave N17, they would need to be replaced but also admitted that, "If we do something or not, it’s ok." James looked as though he could be a potential replacement for Bryan Gil, who was set to go out on loan.
This divided fans, with many not believing he could add enough strength to Conte's squad. James made 33 Premier League appearances last season, scoring four goals and registering five assists.
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These aren't the most eye-catching statistics, but that may have partly been down to the 24-year-old making most of his features as a centre-forward, which isn't his strongest position. football.london have been reporting the interst in James, although it was believed that Leeds would want a permanent deal, while Fabio Paratici was only believed to want a loan.
There was also a belief that the Welshman was happy at his current club, however a Premier League switch now does look close. Sky Sports reported on Thursday that there were three clubs in for James and Fabrizio Romano tweeted soon after that Fulham are closing in on a deal for the youngster.
The move is expected to be a loan and Leeds reportedly already have their replacement lined up, in Marseille's Bamba Dieng. However, in Jesse Marsch’s press conference on Thursday afternoon, he didn't want to comment on James' potential exit.
Despite some mixed opinions, James has shown his quality, at both club and international level. During the Euros last year, Jose Mourinho was on talkSPORT and praised the 24-year-old after Wales beat Turkey 2-0.
"This kid James, they have to rely a lot on him, because he is fast, he’s the one who can break defenders," Mourinho said. The 24-year-old being a reliable player, who can "break defenders" may have been suitable for Conte's side.
The Italian has been increasing the size of his squad and the quality of the depth of his squad this summer and if Gil had left and James had come in, would he have been a solid replacement? It looks like Tottenham will never know, although there is still time for everything to change, as the 11pm deadline approaches.
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