Daniel James’s meteoric rise is perhaps summed up best by the fact that, at this time last year, the only inquiry about the Swansea City winger’s availability came from Yeovil Town, who were relegated from League Two. James’s decision to remain at the Liberty Stadium rather than slog it out at the foot of the Football League turned out rather well.

A year on, after a dazzling debut season in the Sky Bet Championship, the 21-year-old scored on his first appearance for Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Very few people, it would be fair to say, saw this coming. Those who have worked with James speak of his undoubted “raw talent”, as Rob Page, the Wales Under-21 manager, says, and the searing pace — his