Leeds United endured a difficult season in 2022/23, with the club relegated from the Premier League and relegated back to the Championship. The Whites had previously spent three seasons in the Premier League, having been promoted from the second tier in the 2019/20 season.

However, they were unable to secure safety in the third season, and they lacked a reliable creative presence at the top of the pitch following the departure of Brazilian wing-back Raphinha to Barcelona.

The Spanish giants had signed the talented ace for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2022, and the club have yet to find a suitable replacement for him, more than a year later. However, current head coach Daniel Farke has a player in Daniel James who could potentially develop into a similar figure to Raphinha at Elland Road.

Who recorded the most assists for Leeds last season?

Jack Harrison, a Wales international on loan from Fulham, achieved the highest number of assists for Leeds during the 2022/23 season, netting seven in the Premier League. The former Manchester City prospect contributed 1.5 key passes to the Whites, with no other player in the squad making more than 1.3 per game. This follows Raphinha’s performance in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season, as he created ten “big chances” and made 1.9 passes per match.

How many chances has James created this season?

James has been a key player for Leeds this season, creating 13 chances for his teammates in his six Championship appearances, including one as a substitute. No other Leeds player has achieved more than his 2.2 key passes per game this season, and he has also had two more assists (four) than any other player.

The English-born forward, who scored nine goals in 74 matches for Manchester United across all competitions, has also created five “big chances” and assisted four goals in 31 Premier League starts during his initial season with Leeds in 2021/22.

The statistics indicate that James has had the opportunity to step up his game in the lower divisions of the Championship due to the difficulty of providing quality on a regular basis in the Premier League.

However, the Welsh starlet is still only 25 years of age, and there is still time for him to further develop and refine his game to the point where he is able to replicate the same level of creativity that he has shown in the past under the guidance of Farke. The former manager, who has had the privilege of coaching the likes of Emile Buendia and James Maddison as well as Todd Cantwell, could be able to assist James in taking his career to the next level.

How has James performed this season?

The former Red Devils forward has not only provided assists, but has also averaged a superior 7.42 Sofascore rating in his six Championship games. He has also created five ‘big chances’ for his team-mates, with only Crysania Summerville averaging a higher Sofascore (7.68). This demonstrates that James has become a key player for Farke in the division this season, and is beginning to demonstrate his worth two years after his £25m transfer from Manchester United to Elland Road.

How many assists did James rack up for Swansea?

James is renowned for his exceptional creativity, as evidenced by his ten assists in 39 matches during his time with Swansea. He also scored four goals and provided nine assists in 33 matches during the 2018/2019 Championship campaign, demonstrating his ability to regularly break down the opposition’s defences. According to Football Focus, James ranked in the top nine percent of his peers for shot-creation actions per 90 minutes and in the top sixteen percent for assists per 90 minutes.

The diminutive striker, who was once described by commentator Micah Richards as “a nightmare to handle”, has demonstrated his remarkable capacity to carry the ball in the final third of the pitch for Swansea, ranking within the top 2% of players in his position in progressive carries at 6.55 per 90. Raphinha has also demonstrated his strength in this area, as the Brazilian striker ranked within the top 5% of his compatriots in the Premier League in progressive carries at 3.89 per 90 in the 2020/21 season. Both players are adept at taking the ball past opposition players to move the ball forward from deep positions, allowing the team to flourish in transition as they no longer have to rely solely on precise passes to move the ball into dangerous areas.

What’s next for James?

James is already demonstrating the ability to create chances from a wide position similar to Raphinha’s, but now it is up to the talented young player to add a goal-scoring threat to his game in the upcoming months.

Raphinha scored 17 goals in his two seasons with Yorkshire, including 11 in his final season at the club.

Leeds speedster Buendia, who was previously described as “electrical” by international teammate Joao Allen, has not managed to score more than four goals in a single season in his senior career.

Buendia, on the other hand, had never achieved more than six goals in a season before joining Norwich to work alongside Farke, and went on to score eight goals in his first season in the Championship before returning to 15 goals in his second season in the league under the German manager.

It appears that the Leeds manager has the coaching ability to enhance the scoring performance of wingers, and if he is able to do so with James, then he could be able to find the club’s successor for Rafa Benitez, as the talent is already present in the gem.