Daniel James is off to a remarkable start at Old Trafford

After making his first-team debut with Swansea City just last year, James signed with the Red Devils in June for 15 million euros and has already made a huge impact for the club.

It may have been a bit of a surprise for Manchester United fans, but new signing Daniel James has been the best player for Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side so far in the 2019/20 campaign. Considering he was barely a first-team starter at Swansea at this time last year, it’s been a remarkable rise for the 21-year old Wales international. He made 33 appearances for the Swans last year, scoring all four of his goals and tallying seven assists in the second half of the season.

Just four matches in with the Red Devils, James has already bagged three goals, including a beautiful strike into the top corner against Southampton last weekend:

🚀 Every angle of @Daniel_James_97's super strike v the Saints is here for you to enjoy! 🚀 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/1VSOhRhQPQ
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 2, 2019

In the first fixture of the season in a 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea, James came on in the second half and in just 16 minutes, he scored his first goal with the Red Devils. All three matches since, the 21-year old has played the full 90 minutes, bringing an exciting attacking flair on the flanks.

There’s no guarantee that James will continue to score at this high rate, but his first impression has been outstanding and he’s making Man United’s counter-attack even more electric alongside Marcus Rashford.

A diamond in the rough

United knew the type of player James could be when they signed him, but I don’t think they could have predicted that he would make such a quick impact. He’s been deployed on either flank this year, showing the versatility to play on either side for the club.

United has lacked wingers in the past who can cut inside but also take the ball out wide and swing in a cross. James is the prime example of a player who can do both. He’s shown the ability to cut towards the net and use his lightning-quick speed to beat defenders, or simply fake the cut then take the ball out wide towards the corner. James has been fouled a lot this year because his quickness has simply been too much for oppositions, so they foul him instead of letting him have a clear path to the net. He also has a wonderful first touch along with great footwork. Considering the amount of top-level football he has played in his life, his form has been absolutely remarkable.

The hard-working player United need

Manchester United have had a lot of animosity surrounding the club for a while and they aren’t necessarily off to the best start this season. But James is the type of player they need because he works extremely hard when he’s on the pitch. This young man doesn’t take his foot off the gas pedal ever. He is with one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s evident that he wants to make a long-lasting impression. Solksjaer has revamped this club with other new signings such as Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to strengthen their back-line, both proven elite defenders. Although they have won just one match out of four so far, drawing twice and losing the other; they have the right players to succeed.

It’s safe to say that Daniel James is definitely enjoying life at Old Trafford. Given his competitive nature and hard-working style of play, there is absolutely no doubt that the Welsh winger will be a huge hit amongst United supporters for the foreseeable future.

It’s going to be exciting to see just how many goals he can put away for the Red Devils this year. As he strengthens his partnership with Rashford and Martial, we should see United begin to score more than just one goal a match.

As he continues to play well, it looks like James can become the forefront of the United attack this season. His desire to improve every day will help him reach great heights with the Red Devils.

The 21-year old will look to take his marvelous form onto the international stage with Wales this weekend.