Dan James has penned a four-year contract extension at Leeds United this week, and believes the club’s chances of survival are boosted by the experience the squad has.
It’s been a quiet weekend in terms of incomings for Leeds on top of the four already confirmed, with preparations well underway for the club’s first pre-season clash of the schedule – a meeting with Manchester United in Sweden.
For Dan James, it’s another chance for the winger to prove how much his game has progressed since he decided to move to the right side of the Pennines in 2021.
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Dan James signs four-year Leeds United contract extension
After reports that the club were closing in on an agreement with James over a new deal, an announcement came on Monday evening of the winger penning a new contract.
James has committed to a new four-year contract extension, keeping him at Elland Road until the summer of 2029.
(Action Images/Andrew Couldridge)
Previous reports claimed that the winger would form part of wage reviews under the 49ers, akin to Junior Firpo’s talks that would see earnings shift to better match a player’s role in the side as well as the club’s footing as a newly-promoted Premier League side, as opposed to signing James off the back of a ninth-placed finish in the top flight.
James was voted as the club’s Player of the Season award following his best season in front of goal, scoring 12 and assisting nine on the way to securing promotion and the Championship title.
Dan James reacts to new Leeds United contract with survival claim
It’s a big boost for both James and the club to have his future resolved before his contract had the opportunity to dwindle too close to expiry.
For James, building on the two seasons he’s just had is crucial, but ensuring the club stay in the Premier League is the main focus, as he reacted to the contract signing looking ahead to using his experience for the upcoming campaign.
“I think so, a little (his experience helping the squad). I think we’re probably at a little bit different place now, but we’ve experienced that,” he told LUFC.
“That’s somewhere where we want to establish ourselves as a Premier League team now and we know how tough it is. But to have a little bit of experience in the squad of how that feels as well makes us that little bit more ready to push on.
“It feels strange for me to say that I’m a senior pro because I still feel really young. I think people still think I’m 18!
“So yeah, it does feel weird, but you do take a lot more responsibility. I think naturally I try to take more responsibility out on the pitch now.
“I let the people who want to do the talking in the changing room, then I kind of try to lead by example on the pitch. But I think being a more senior player now, I have to give that experience to the players.”
Crucial business for Leeds to tie down James to new deal – investment must follow
It was crucial to get James tied down to a new contract, given that he entered the final 12 months of his deal and could have been vulnerable to an exit.
Signing him to such a long-term contract might be a risk if he’s still one of the high earners, heading towards his 30s, but he’s been incredibly important since Daniel Farke came in.
While this is important business and great news, what has to follow now is incoming investment to build on the talented core of this squad.
Hopefully, such an announcement kickstarts the club into a very busy week.
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