Three games into the Premier League season, things are already becoming clearer in some respects for the likes of Leeds United and Man United.
Leeds United have a powerful and athletic side, which is in keeping with the current Premier League meta and the trend of the league in recent years.
Players like Anton Stach and Jaka Bijol are the archetypal profiles for the current style of the Premier League. However, truthfully, Leeds already had some with the required intensity and athleticism on their books from last season.
One of those, to the surprise of nobody, is Dan James. His volume of high intensity sprints and his top speed are ideal for English football’s top flight, and he’s been at it again this season already.
Hull City AFC v Leeds United FC - Sky Bet Championship
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Dan James is the third fastest Premier League player
The flying Leeds winger signed a new contract in the summer and is expected to play a key role again this season as Leeds look to defy the odds and stay in the top flight.
The official Premier League account on Twitter/X has revealed the fastest players thus far this season, including James. He sits third just ahead of Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Newcastle United’s Anthony Elanga.
James has clocked a top speed of 36.1km per hour. However, Man United’s £71 million signing Bryan Mbuemo has managed a 36.3km/h top speed.
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Meanwhile, the league’s quickest player is a new face of the Premier League, with Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Jackson Tchatchoua hitting 37.3km/h against Everton recently.
James thinks he’s faster than Erling Haaland but not Elanga, which he admitted prior to the season starting. It will be interesting to see how the list looks by the end of the campaign with a larger sample size.
Everton FC v Fulham FC - Premier League
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Dan James comparison between Premier League and Championship stats
In many ways, James is now a peak-age player at the age of 27, and he is a vastly different proposition from the talented but raw winger that Man United took a gamble on in 2019.
Competition Appearances Goals Assists
Premier League 109 12 13
Championship 112 29 25
Dan James’ Premier League and Championship comparison
That being said, his goal involvements at Premier League level don’t stand out. James is also yet to get off the mark in that respect in 2025/26.
Leeds have quality in wide areas, too, meaning there is serious competition for James this season at Elland Road.