Birmingham City Manager Provides Latest On In-Demand Midfielder

Birmingham City manager Tony Mowbray said that the club rejected approaches for Jordan James during the transfer window, as reported by Birmingham Live.

The former Sunderland boss has called the number of bids received from Serie A club Atalanta as ‘derisory’, joking that James may be worth more than £30 million by the next transfer window.

Having retained their young starlet, the Blues and Mowbray are now determined to guarantee the player’s development and value continue to rise.

When asked about the 19-year-old’s worth, Mowbray replied, “Thirty-odd million, it’s got to be?”

When asked about Atalanta’s proposals for the 8-cap Welsh international, Mowbray responded, “I don’t think you can argue against that really.” He is a young international player who plays most weeks and contributes goals. “I think the club is making the right decision.”

On transfer deadline day, Blackburn Rovers lost England Under 21 international Adam Wharton to Crystal Palace in the Premier League for a reported fee of £22 million.

Mowbray made a brief mention of how he and James discussed Wharton’s departure to Palace and where Jordan James views himself in relation to the former Rovers star.

I would never say what he said. But we did talk about how he compares himself to Wharton.

Jordan James has already played 88 games for St Andrew’s and scored six goals in the Championship this season. When compared to Wharton, James has played 37 more games and scored four more goals this season.

Tony Mowbray is a major fan of the Hereford-born midfielder; “He can score a goal, first and foremost.” For a little boy, he understands where the net is. I admire his ability to accelerate and shift pace in midfield; he has some power in his legs. He’s a self-assured boy who refuses to be bullied.”

“He has many positive qualities, but he also has some areas where he can improve. He needs to scan more and be mindful of what is around him. Everyone’s passing can improve. He has several facets of his game in which he can improve.

Birmingham hopes new additions Alex Pritchard and Seung-ho Paik can maintain their recent success under Mowbray.

Mowbray’s remark of the £30 million amount was interpreted as a joke, but following Adam Wharton’s £22 million price tag, James will push that figure.

By the conclusion of the season, he will most certainly have made over 100 first-team appearances and will still be under the age of twenty. A midfielder who can score goals and shift the pace of a game is valuable, and teams will buy him for his future potential as much as his current abilities.

Should James continue to score goals, teams from England’s top tier will join Atalanta in the line. It would be intriguing to see whether James chooses the Premier League or, like Scotland star Lewis Ferguson, moves to Italy to further his development.