Birmingham City starlet Jordan James is a target for Premier League clubs Wolves, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham United, as reported by TEAMtalk.
Did anyone say ‘deja vu’?
It’s not even two years since Jude Bellingham swapped St Andrews for Borussia Dortmund, blossoming into an England international, a Champions League colossus and one of Europe’s best young midfielders in that iconic yellow-and-black shirt.
James, having only made his senior bow in November, is not going to seal a £25 million move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs any time soon.
Birmingham won’t be retiring his number 19 shirt either, after less than a season of first-team football.
But there is still a chance that James, despite signing a professional contract at St Andrews just a few months ago, could be following Bellingham out the door come the summer.
Is Jordan James taking the Jude Bellingham route?
Scouts from Crystal Palace, Wolves, Everton, West Ham, Brighton and Southampton have watched James in action.
West Ham, inspired by Jarrod Bowen’s success, are delving into the second tier in pursuit of more bargain signings. Jacob Greaves, Alex Scott and Keane Lewis-Potter are also on their radar.
Palace, meanwhile, have made talented youngsters like James central to their revamped transfer strategy in the post-Roy Hodgson era.
“He has taken his chance,” Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer says of James, who scored his maiden professional goal against Stoke City a few weeks ago.
“Whatever you ask him to do, he has done.”
“He tries to do the right things, brings the right energy. He can travel with the ball, he is comfortable in possession, he ticks a lot of boxes for me. I like what I see with Jordan, he has a lot of potential.”
Bowyer, and the already disenfranchised Birmingham supporters, would be loathe to see James go. Especially if the Wales U18 international ends up swapping St Andrews for Midland rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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