Daniel James is seemingly closing in on a £15 million ($19m) move to Manchester United, with one outing for Swansea in which he caused “carnage” considered to have piqued the Red Devils’ interest.
A switch to Old Trafford for the 21-year-old winger has been in the pipeline for some time.
His exploits across the 2018-19 campaign have enhanced his reputation considerably and attracted plenty of praise and admiring glances from afar.
James is now in the process of finalising a transfer to Premier League heavyweights, with Goal confirming that a medical is being completed.
If he does end up becoming Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first addition of the summer, then Wales international team-mate Joe Allen believes he knows which performance earned the move.
The Stoke midfielder was on the receiving end of said display, with James tearing the Potters to pieces on April 9 as he scored one and contributed to two players seeing red in a 3-1 win for Swansea.
“That was the day that probably sealed the potential Man United move. He was electric,” said Allen.
"He scored, got two men sent off and caused carnage all game. It was one of the best individual performances I have ever seen as a fellow player.
“He looks ready to make the next step, if I am honest. He has the potential to be a top player and I think he is ready for it.
“When we went down to nine men, Ashley Williams got the short straw to go out to right-back to deal with him. I think Dan took it easy on him — and Ash was giving him about a 30-yard cushion.”
Getty ImagesJames came close to leaving Swansea during the last transfer window back in January.
Leeds believed that they had a deal in place, but a proposed agreement fell through and the Whites were left empty-handed.
That situation has now worked in the youngster’s favour, with a step up the ladder to a different United now set to be made.
Allen added: “Leeds wouldn’t have been a bad move, of course not, but it has almost been a blessing it didn’t happen.
“In the second half of the season I think there is plenty of clubs above that level who have come to the fore and that is the sort of bracket he is in now.
“Second half of the season, he has been on fire.”
Across 38 appearances for Swansea in the 2018-19 campaign, James recorded five goals and 10 assists, while also making his senior debut for Wales and finding the target in a meeting with Slovakia.