DAN JAMES admits he was starstruck when he turned up at Manchester United and also Wales under hero Ryan Giggs.
The £15million rookie had made just 39 senior appearances for Swansea before his summer move to Old Trafford.
But, despite initial nerves, the Welshman, 21, has shown no signs of stage fright in an impressive campaign for both the Red Devils and national boss Giggs.
James revealed: “At the start you are a bit starstruck. It was the same when I went into United.
“It was weird being in the changing room at the start because you talk about these players all the time and then you are there.
“Being a footballer you treat everyone the same.
“It’s the same when people ask you for autographs or pictures and you think you are just a normal person.
‘TEN-GOAL TARGET’
“You can’t be too starstruck.”
James has hit the ground running with three goals and three assists in his first 13 United games.
His latest contribution saw the rapid forward win a penalty in the 2-1 Carabao Cup triumph for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men at Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Rather than being a squad player and taking time to settle in, James is now one of the first names on United’s team sheet ahead of the weekend trip to Bournemouth.
And James, who has been a key part of Wales’ hopes of reaching Euro 2020 under Giggs, has set himself a ten-goal target this season.
James, #TalkingTekkers with JD Football, added: “The plan for the season for me was to play as many games as possible.
“I came to United maybe thinking I could be a fringe player. I wanted to try and get in the team as quick as I could but I thought it may take a bit more time.
“I got chucked in a lot earlier than I thought. But I was ready for it. I worked hard during the summer.
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“It was about proving people wrong and showing what I can do.
“But now I have started to play I have to change that. Coming in, I set my goal to get ten goals.
“I scored three in four and people said to me, ‘Are you going to change those goals now?’
“But I said, ‘I haven’t reached that yet so I’m not going to change those goals.
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“If I come to reach that target then obviously I can change that.
“I want to get as many goals and assists as I can this year.
” But playing games is very important and getting as many as I can under my belt.”