Well it quickly became the guaranteed deal that never happened for Leeds United during January’s transfer window deadline day – Daniel James of Swansea City fame.
Leeds United had reportedly agreed terms with the Liberty Stadium outfit for the services of the 21-year-old Welshman and speculation had suggested that it would be a loan deal with a potential buy clause included come next summer.
If Leeds went up we could enact it, if not, Swansea were free to try and tempt the lad into signing a new deal with them instead.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay has his finger on the pulse at the club and just gone 11pm tonight when the deadline window slammed shut he took to social media to inform fans that the ‘deal was off’ but initially he gave no further reasons why.
He did follow up shortly after with the following Tweets.
Essentially, deal was agreed, James passed his medical, was sat at ER from about 6pm waiting to be unveiled and Swansea went quiet. Stopped responding to contact and 11pm went by. No deal sheet in with the EFL so as far as this window is concerned, James to Leeds isn't happening.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) January 31, 2019
a very awkward situation for James who told Swansea that he wanted to leave and take the move. Leeds might revisit this in the summer but that's for another day. Big frustration to have missed out on him. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) January 31, 2019
suspect this is less to do with Leeds-Swansea than it is to do with Swansea-Swansea and the politics down there. Was always going to be a deeply unpopular exit in south Wales. More to come on that I think. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) January 31, 2019
Fans will be inevitably making their own minds up on where they feel the blame lies here, but going quiet full stop if accurate, is incredibly poor form, especially given the pelters that Leeds have received for perceived poor form.
James has to go back there tomorrow for a start and how must he feel if he had set his heart on the move?
A good sleep and some reflection may be in order.