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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, John Hartson suggested that Manchester United and Wales may have a gem on their hands in the form of Dan James.

What did he say?

The winger has hit the ground running at Old Trafford since his summer arrival from Swansea, and he also took his form into the international break this week with a stunning winner against Belarus.

It has been a dream start for the 21-year-old, who has scored four goals for club and country just one month into the season - and is already only one short of the five-goal tally he achieved in 2018/19.

He has proved to be a key threat so far, and now his finishing ability seems to be matching his explosive pace - a perfect combination for a winger - and if he learns from teammates such as Anthony Martial and Gareth Bale he could go very far.

Hartson believes he is a great prospect and could go on to be an important player for both of his current sides. Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said:

"There are some really good players in that Wales midfield, with the likes of Harry Wilson, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Tom Lawrence, David Brooks and Dan James in particular who not only could have a massive impact for his country, but Manchester United too.

“United must be thinking oh my god, I can't believe we got this boy for £15m. What's he worth now?”

An astute addition

It has taken James only a matter of weeks to prove his critics wrong by showing he is ready to play at the highest level.

Moreover, United will consider him a steal at such a low price, particularly when compared to other young wingers signed by Premier League clubs in recent windows, such as Richarlison, who moved to Everton for a reported £50m, and Chelsea signing Christian Pulisic, who swapped Borussia Dortmund for west London in a £58m deal.

If James continues to progress as he has done since breaking into the Swansea first-team it is plausible to envision him being part of the United and Wales set-up for years to come, following in the footsteps of another Welsh winger: Ryan Giggs.

Both Giggs and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have looked to provide young players with opportunities since taking on their respective roles, and James’ success is evidence that they have been vindicated in their decision to do so.

He could undoubtedly become a key member of both teams, as Hartson suggests.

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