Dan James is heading into the summer with one clear aim: arrive at Leeds United’s pre-season fit and uninterrupted after an injury-hit 2025/26 that kept him on the sidelines for 18 matches across club and country.
The winger said he feels "far fitter" on arrival in Wales camp this week, after banking minutes late in the season and finishing the campaign by playing in each of Leeds’ final four league fixtures. He has linked up with Wales for friendlies against Ghana and Romania, and those matches now give him a chance to build rhythm before Leeds begin their own preparations.
James’ season was broken up by setbacks that never fully allowed him to settle. A hamstring tendon problem ruled him out for two months, then a groin strain in the spring cost him another three weeks. By the time he returned, Leeds had already secured safety with three matches to spare and were closing a season that ended with 47 points in 14th place.
For James, the concern is not just what happened in the last campaign but what has happened in summers before it. He said slight injuries in recent years have hampered his pre-season work, and that makes the current window especially important. “It hasn’t helped,” he said of the repeated disruption, though he added that he now feels better placed physically to start again.
Leeds will need that fitness to hold. Their pre-season plans include a USA tour and a trip to Dublin to face Manchester United, while Wales are using their friendlies because there is no World Cup ahead to distract from building minutes. James said Leeds want to become established in the Premier League, and the route to that starts with a summer that finally gives him a clean run.
