Birmingham City has made it clear what their view is on Jordan James’ transfer: “£15 million would be very nice.”

Even though Birmingham may not have performed well overall, James has had a successful season personally.

The 19-year-old has made 38 Championship appearances for the Midlands club and scored eight goals. He has also solidified his place as a regular for Wales at the senior international level.

Consequently, the youth who surfaced elsewhere this season has already garnered a lot of attention.
It was rumored that Serie A team Atalanta had attempts to sign the teenager rejected back in the January transfer window. Wolves and Crystal Palace of the Premier League were reportedly rumored to have inquired about the Birmingham City player.

James is still making an impression for the Blues, and he is even up for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year title, so perhaps interest will surface once more in the summer.

Irrespective of the division they are in, it appears that certain team supporters are preparing for James’ summer exit.

A Birmingham fan talks about Jordan James’s future.

Given the substantial interest in James and his pivotal role at the club, this is likely a major topic of discussion among Birmingham City fans.

Speaking with Football League World, our Birmingham City fan expert, Mike Gibbs, was asked about the likelihood of James leaving in the summer if the club avoids relegation, and what potential transfer fee the club should aim for.

In response, Gibbs stated:

“I’m uncertain about Jordan James’ departure. There hasn’t been much speculation or media coverage, indicating a lack of concrete interest at the moment.

“However, I anticipate that interest will arise in the summer. Being shortlisted for Young Player of the Year and past talks involving Crystal Palace and other clubs in January suggest so.

“If we’re in League One, he’s likely to leave, and even as a Championship club, the possibility remains. Considering his contract situation, we could command a significant fee, possibly exceeding £10 million.

“Looking at Adam Wharton’s recent transfer from Blackburn to Crystal Palace, we should aim for similar figures, ideally around £15 million. Whether he’s worth that is debatable, but it’s dictated by market conditions rather than individual valuation.”

If Jordan James does depart, it won’t come as a shock.

Even if Birmingham City remains a Championship team, it is quite possible to imagine James leaving in the summer.

The midfielder has shown himself to be an important member of the Blues by succeeding in the second division over the last few years.

Because of this, there might be a perception that he is prepared for the move to elite football, and there are teams that are eager to offer him that chance.

In fact, a team like Crystal Palace has demonstrated recently that they are able to pull off such transactions with players like Adam Wharton, who joined the Eagles for an alleged £18 million up front, Michael Olise, and Ebere Eze.

Even yet, Birmingham City is well-positioned to negotiate any offers that are made this summer, since he has a year left on his contract and the option to extend by a further 12 months.

In consideration of his significance to the Blues and the sums of money elite teams can afford, an eight-figure price does seem like a reasonable demand.