Daniel James Manchester UnitedManchester United

James signs five-year contract as Man Utd tie up first signing of the summer

Welsh winger Daniel James has officially completed a move to Manchester United, putting pen to paper on a five-year contract.

The 21-year-old was unveiled at Old Trafford on Wednesday afternoon, having agreed to personal terms on the £15 million ($19m) switch from Swansea City last week.

James enjoyed a stellar 2018-19 season at the Liberty Stadium, contributing four goals and seven assists in the Championship.

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He will now have the opportunity to impress in the Premier League, much to the delight of United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norwegian manager expressed his excitement after sealing the club's first summer signing, stating: “Daniel is an exciting young winger with lots of skills, vision, exceptional pace and a good work ethic. He had a great season with Swansea City and has all the attributes needed to become a Manchester United player.

“We are delighted he has signed with our club and we are all looking forward to working with him. This is the perfect environment for Daniel to continue his development.”

James was in an equally positive mood when addressing reporters, admitting that he cannot wait to embark on a new challenge.

“This is one of the best days of my life and a challenge I am really looking forward to," he began. "The Premier League is the best league in the world and Manchester United is the perfect place for me to continue to develop as a player.

“This is an incredibly proud moment for me and my family, however, it is tinged with sadness that my father isn’t able to share this experience with us. I am looking forward to working with Ole, meeting the team and getting started.”

Daniel JamesGetty

James rose through the ranks at Swansea before graduating to the senior squad in 2016 and became a regular in the team after a loan spell at Shrewsbury in 2017.

The young attacker racked up 34 appearances for the Swans last season, earning a place in Ryan Giggs' Wales squad for recent Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Swansea officials are sad to see James go, but club chairman Trevor Birch wished him well for the future while confirming his departure.

“We are obviously hugely disappointed to lose a player of Daniel’s quality, especially after such a fantastic breakthrough season for us and the enjoyment he gave to those watching him," Birch said.

“However, given the level of those performances and the fact he has one year remaining on his contract, it was inevitable that once a club of the calibre of Manchester United came calling it would be virtually impossible to hold on to him.

“It goes without saying that we wish him well at his new club, especially after the sad loss of his father recently.

“We can only thank Daniel for his contribution over the past season and the pleasure he brought to so many of us watching his performances. I’m sure he has a great future ahead of him and we wish him every success in his career.’’

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