Daniel James has been urged to reject any move to Leeds United and remain with Swansea City to lead their promotion challenge.
Swans striker Oli McBurnie believes James can be a focal point around which a successful team can be built at the Liberty Stadium, having moved back up to ninth in the Championship table – six points off the play-offs – at the weekend.
Leeds are keen to recruit James and any offer above £5m is likely to tempt Swansea’s owners to sell as they plead penury following their relegation from the Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa’s team look a good bet for promotion as they occupy top spot in the Championship and any big hike in his wages – plus the potential of Premier League football next season – is certain to appeal to the 21-year-old who made his Wales debut last year.
But McBurnie wants the Swans to pull their finger out – and their cheque book – in order to get James to stay.
““It’s down to the club to do what they need to do, but we want to keep our youngest and best players. DJ is one of the players we want to build our team around,” said McBurnie.
“The basis of a good team is young players. DJ has been here since the academy at 16 or 17. The club has done well to tie the rest of the young lads down and hopefully DJ is the next one.
“I’ve told him to stay and now I’m going to lock him in a room and have a word with him. He’s been playing really well and when you have big performances, you’re going to get attention.”
If Swansea are in any way serious about wanting to return to the Premier League then they simply have to hold onto James.
It is one thing to allow an ageing, slowing, injury-prone Wilfried Bony to depart in order to release his huge wages, but quite another to sell James.
The youngster is one of the squad’s lowest earners and still has 18 months left on his current contract.
McBurine – who scored his 11th goal of the season in the weekend’s 1-0 victory over Sheffield United – believes it is realistic for the club to reach the play-offs if they hang onto their young assets.
“If we keep winning games, there is no reason why not. From the start of the season we’ve never said we need to finish between here and here.
“We’ve never set where we want to go, we’ve taken each game as it comes. For a lot of us it’s our first season playing week-in, week-out professional football, so of course there will be ups and downs because we are a young team.
“But we’re getting there slowly and we can only improve. We’ve shown that when we’re at our best we can compete with anyone in this league.
“Leeds came here and we dominated that game. They were lucky to take a point. We’ve beaten Sheffield United twice now and we just need to find consistency.”
James himself insists his head has not been turned by Leeds’ interest and added: “To me, it’s all just rumours.
“I see it on the internet all the time and everyone is asking me. But from my point of view there’s nothing concrete in it at all.
“Whenever anyone asks me, I just laugh. I haven’t heard anything, but I’m just concentrating on here and I’m loving my football here.
“On our day we can beat anyone. We’re just outside the play-offs now but with 18 or 19 games to go the race is on.
“Whether home or away we have the confidence we can go out there and beat anyone. There are so many teams around the 39-40 point mark. There is so much left to play for.”
