Leeds United have a lot of big decisions to make on players currently at the club between now and when the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

The Whites need to decide which players are ready to make the jump from the Championship to the Premier League, and which ones need to be moved on.

Journalist Mike McGrath recently reported that Dan James is set to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at Elland Road to remain at the club.

This is a big show of faith from Daniel Farke and the club as it shows that there is a belief behind the scenes that he will play a key role in the Premier League next term.

The Wales international plundered 12 goals and nine assists in the Championship last season, but there is still a question mark over his ability to make an impact at the top level.

Why Dan James may struggle next season

There is no doubt about the former Swansea star's quality at Championship level, given that he produced 25 goals and 16 assists in two seasons with Leeds, but he has yet to prove himself consistently in the Premier League.

James has played four Premier League seasons in his career to date, with Manchester United, Leeds, and Fulham combined, and has never been a consistent performer in front of goal.

In those four campaigns, the Welsh speedster never managed more than four goals or more than six assists in the division, which is a far cry from the kind of form he has displayed in the second tier.

After a return of four goals and four assists in 31 Premier League starts in the 2021/22 campaign for Leeds, the Whites decided to send him out on loan to Fulham for the 2022/23 season.

As you can see in the table above, James struggled badly during his time with the Londoners, with just three goal contributions in 24 games before his return to Elland Road to play in the Championship.

This suggests that there is no guarantee that the Wales international will be a key player, at least as a regular starter, in the Premier League for Farke next season.

With this in mind, it may make sense that Leeds are reportedly interested in adding another option to the squad in that area of the pitch this summer.

Leeds enquire about deal for Serie A forward

According to TuttoJuve reporter Mirko Di Natale, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus.

The journalist claims that the Whites have already made contact with the Italian giants to make an enquiry about a possible move for the USA international this summer.

Di Natale adds, though, that there is plenty of competition for his signature because fellow Premier League side Everton and French outfit Marseille are also eyeing him up.

It has previously been reported that Nottingham Forest also have an interest in the versatile wide player, who is said to be valued at around £12m by Juventus.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the Championship champions are ready to move further with their pursuit of the 25-year-old ace, who could come in as an upgrade on Dan James.

Why Leeds should sign Timothy Weah

The Whites should push to strike a deal for Weah, for a fee of around £12m, before the end of the summer transfer window because he could be a quality addition to the group.

At a minimum, the American forward would provide James with real competition for his place and potentially push him to improve by taking away any complacency he may have.

However, the potential is there for Weah to arrive at Elland Road as an upgrade on the Welsh attacker if Farke unleashes him as a right winger on a regular basis.

In the 2024/25 campaign, he played 22 times as either a full-back or a wing-back on both flanks, and was only given 16 outings as a winger or as a forward. In those 16 games, Weah scored five goals and provided two assists in the Serie A, which speaks to the kind of quality he can provide when played in his natural position.

The American star, who once scored against James and Wales at the 2022 World Cup, has shown that he can make a big impact in a major European league when played in the forward areas, and his form in comparison to the Leeds winger's form in his last season in the Premier League further backs that up.

As you can see in the table above, Weah posted more impressive attacking statistics than James did in that Premier League campaign, despite playing as a full-back for a lot of his time on the pitch for the Old Lady.

He managed five Serie A goals in total for Juventus, despite his constant position changes, whilst James has never produced more than four goals in a top-flight season.

These statistics suggest that the USA international, who was once hailed as "wonderful" by former boss Brendan Rodgers, has the potential to offer even more than James at the top end of the pitch from a right wing position.

The 25-year-old star has shown that he can compete at the top level, as further evidenced by a return of one goal and one assist in five starts in the Champions League last term, and this suggests that the forward is ready to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

Therefore, Leeds should swoop to sign Weah this summer because he could immediately improve the team, as an upgrade on James, as a player who has already proven his quality at one of the biggest clubs in the world.