Premier League clubs Ipswich, Southampton, Leicester and Brighton are set to miss out on Jordan James as the Birmingham City starlet closes in on a move to French side Rennes.
An ambitious Birmingham side have spent much of the summer turning heads in League One, their recruitment almost unprecedented for the third-tier of English football.
The Blues have brought in Marc Leonard from Brighton and Hove Albion, last season’s top scorer in Alfie May from Charlton Athletic, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, and two players from the Dutch Eredivisie in winger Emil Hansen and the elegant goalscoring midfielder that is Willum Thor Willumsson.
But, while their ambition cannot be questioned, hanging onto the much-admired Jordan James always looked like a challenge that could be beyond even Birmingham’s US investors.
HITC understands that least five Premier League clubs were pursuing James this summer. Among them were the aforementioned Brighton, Brentford, Southampton and Championship champions Leicester City.
Ipswich Town were understood to be at the front of the queue. Newcastle United also sent scouts to watch the 20-year-old Wales international during the last campaign.
Jordan James chooses Rennes over the Premier League
Birmingham are now set to sell their prized asset to Stade Rennais instead, however.
The Brittany outfit have an agreement on terms with the League One title favourites, with James now having arrived in France ahead of a medical which is due to take place before the weekend.
The prospect of regular first-team football at Roazhon Park has played a key part in James’ decision.
Rennes believe that the dynamic midfielder can help offset the potential loss of ex-Newcastle target Desire Doue to Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich, even if he would not be a like-for-like replacement for a tricky, two-footed winger.
Atalanta were also keen. The Europa League winners shifted their focus to a striker, however, after losing Gianluca Scamacca long-term.
Atalanta have since brought in the Argentine-born Italy forward Mateo Retegui from Genoa.
Exit close for Birmingham City midfielder
The imminent departure of James – who will bank Birmingham around £5 million – is a distraction the Midlanders could have done without ahead of their League One opener at home to Reading on Saturday tea-time.
Blues boss Chris Davies, however, insists that there has never been any concerns over James’ maturity or professionalism even as Rennes stepped up their pursuit.
“He’s shown a brilliant attitude,” Davies, who assisted Ange Postecoglou at both Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur, tells BBC Radio West Midlands.
“Every day, ‘JJ’ has worked hard and there has been no difference in him to all the other players. That is testament to him as there has been a lot of noise and speculation around him.
“I spoke about this with him right from day one. But, for such a young man, to deal with it all with the composure he has I’ve been really impressed.”
Understandably, comparisons have been drawn between James and another St Andrews graduate in Jude Bellingham. His former Wales boss – Rob Page – told The Guardian that James ‘ticks a lot of boxes’ for a player with the potential to reach the very top of the game.
HITC, meanwhile, understands that Birmingham recently looked at Goduine Koyalipou, the Golden Boot winner in Belgium’s second-tier last term. Koyalipou has since swapped Beveren for CKSA Sofia however.
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