Fulham boss addresses Leeds United loanee situation as Whites close in on first 2023 transfer

A season-long loan deal was agreed in the summer transfer window, sending the Welsh international to Craven Cottage for gametime that would not have been forthcoming under Jesse Marsch at Elland Road.

But five starts from 15 top flight games - the last of which came in October - have resulted in just 540 minutes of Premier League football, well shy of the 1,369 and 1,006 played by Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison with whom he would have been competing for game time this season. James' minutes put him roughly on a par with Whites emerging talent Crysencio Summerville, yet the latter has found the net four times, while the man out on loan has a single goal to his name so far.

That came against his former club Manchester United, from whom Leeds signed James for £25m. To date the big money move has not paid off the player.

But Silva, who has guided Fulham to an impressive seventh place in the table after 17 games, just three points behind Liverpool, says the 25-year-old is still finding his feet at Craven Cottage.

"Of course James is still adapting in our football club with a different style of play and all the things," he said, ahead of the Cottagers' trip to Leicester City tomorrow night.

"Until now we didn't speak about this possibility [of a recall]. When we signed him on loan it was for him to stay the season with us. Of course now from yesterday the market opened and many things can happen but no news about it."

Leeds, who are in the market for a left sided defender and a striker, have no real need for an extra winger in the squad right now. Marsch has Aaronson, Harrison, Summerville and Willy Gnonto as his current options for the narrow left and right attacking roles in either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation.

Although the ideal scenario would be for James to be playing more at Fulham, the only likely scenario that sees him return to Elland Road this month is to send him elsewhere for another temporary spell and more minutes, or to make a permanent move possible.

It’s becoming increasingly likely that Victor Orta's first foray into the January transfer window will complete the signing of RB Salzburg's Maximilian Wöber. The centre-back, who has featured mainly at left-back for Marsch's former club this season, would be the third player to make the switch from Red Bull Arena to Elland Road, following Rasmus Kristensen and Aaronson through the door.

Leeds believe the Salzburg captain will bolster the left side of Marsch's defence, providing competition for Pascal Struijk and Junior Firpo at left-back, and Cooper and Struijk at centre-back, and consider his price more than reasonable.

Marsch refused to comment on the situation after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Newcastle United, insisting: “If and when that happens we’ll talk about it.”