Leeds United could break transfer record to sign Manchester United’s Daniel James

Hull-born James - who almost joined Leeds from Swansea City in January, 2019 - was due to travel to West Yorkshire on Monday evening after Old Trafford officials told the player that they were willing to listen to offers for him.

Leeds have reportedly struck a deal with the Red Devils, with the Welsh international set to join the club at the second time of asking ahead of Tuesday’s transfer window deadline.

If the deal goes through, some reports are suggesting it will constitute a club record move and eclipse the £26m that Leeds paid for Rodrigo last summer.

James has started two of Manchester United’s first three Premier League games this term, including Sunday’s game at Wolves, which saw him substituted after 52 minutes.

He played for 75 minutes of the Red Devils’ 5-1 opening-day win over Leeds.

But the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus and the addition of Jadon Sancho, who joined earlier in the summer from Borussia Dortmund, is likely to mean that the 23-year-old’s prospects of becoming a regular starter are seriously diminished in the medium and long term.

The East Yorkshireman saw a proposed loan move collapse on deadline day in the winter window of 2019 with the winger having

passed a medical with the Elland Road club.

James subsequently headed to Manchester in the summer, joining United in a £15m deal.

Despite missing out on signing the player, head coach Marcelo Bielsa has retained his interest and admiration for James, who has another three years on his deal at Old Trafford.

Several other Premier League sides are also understood to have been monitoring developments, including Everton and Brighton, with James’s transfer likely to be one of the significant moves ahead of Tuesday night’s closure of the summer window.