Take Raphinha for example who have been star of the team ever since he came last season.
Well you nailed this, Raphinha scored though
Well, I would not say that United, or another club "got rid" of these players as a heavy burden, rather, these transfers were in the spirit of observing the unspoken rules of fair play, against the backdrop of more favorable offers and for compliance with other top clubs. Therefore, for Leeds, with their modest budget, these players have become like the icing on the cake
James has alot of potential though but I think this move was the best that he could have get because his spot in the starting lineup is pretty much guarateed in Leeds so its still much better than staying in United and never start for the lineup. This deal had to be done though or else there the salary cap will be way even higher with Ronaldo in the team right now