The Leeds United star that is topping one key stat across all four tiers of English football in 2025

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Leeds United’s start to 2025 has been relentless with Daniel Farke’s men sitting pretty at the top of the Championship table and remaining unbeaten in their 12 league games this year.

Indeed, Saturday’s draw with West Brom has seen Leeds go unbeaten in 17 games in the Championship. Since the turn of the year, Leeds have recorded eight wins and four draws from their 12 league games.

The Whites have secured enormous wins over the likes of Sheffield United and Sunderland and it sees them sitting at the top of the Championship table, three ahead of the Blades and eight in front of Burnley.

Everywhere you look in this Leeds side at the moment, there are players in form. Illan Meslier may have had a shaky outing at Bramall Lane, but he is performing well while Joe Rodon is improving, somehow.

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The Leeds United player leading the way since the start of 2025

Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo are on fire from full-back, the latter scoring two goals in two games. The midfield has been immense whatever the combination and Joel Piroe has more goals than last season.

But Dan James is arguably in the form of his life. Five goals and six assists in his last 10 games, James added to his tally again on Saturday with a pinpoint cross for Firpo to flick into West Brom’s goal.

As per Opta’s Jonny Cooper, James now has more assists than anyone since the turn of the year not just from the Championship but all of England’s top four tiers. James has laid on six assists in 2025, so far.

Leeds need promotion or Dan James will surely be on his way

Paul Merson said Dan James is too good for the Championship over the weekend, and he is not wrong. Since Leeds were relegated, James has had a hand in 39 goals in 72 Championship outings for Leeds.

Not all from the start, either. The Welshman is proving to be a menace at this level, not just because of his numbers but his work rate, his electrifying pace and his new-and-improved eye for goal under Farke.

Dan James’ assists in 2025:

But James is out of contract in the summer of 2026, and the former Swansea man will want another crack at the Premier League. Failure to go up this season, and James will have to go – even if he wants to stay.

Clubs from the Premier League will certainly come calling and even if James was willing to put pen to paper, Leeds will have to cash in on two or three big players to remain afloat and James ticks that box.