Tony Mowbray releases Jordan James admits the Sunderland transfer didn’t shock him

Tony Mowbray quipped that Birmingham City’s Jordan James may be worth more than £30 million in the next transfer window after resisting selling their most prized asset in January.

Blues rebuffed a succession of pitiful proposals from Serie A club Atalanta, and James stayed put. Mowbray want to develop the 19-year-old to increase his value before the summer transfer market.

“Thirty-odd million, it’s got to be?” Mowbray joked when questioned about James’ valuation. “I do not know. I’d never say what he said. But we did talk about how he compares himself to Wharton.

Needless to say, James is worth much more than Atlanta offered. Mowbray continued, “I don’t think you can dispute with that. He is a young international player who plays most weeks and contributes goals. “I think the club is making the right decision.”

Mowbray is using Adam Wharton, who moved to Crystal Palace from Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £22 million on deadline day, as a benchmark to assess James’ worth. James is five months Wharton’s younger, but he has 37 more senior appearances (88-51).

James has eight full caps for Wales, while Wharton is an England under-21 international. And James’ six goals in 27 Championship games this season are far higher than Wharton’s two in 26.

Mowbray continued, “He can score goals, 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.

New signing Alex Pritchard might join James in the lineup against West Bromwich Albion. The 30-year-old became the Blues’ third and final acquisition of the January transfer window on Thursday, trading Sunderland for the second city.

Mowbray, who was head coach at Sunderland before joining the Blues, was aware of Pritchard’s prospective availability. “I’m not surprised,” Mowbray replied. “I was the head coach there for 15 months, so I’m not surprised he was allowed to depart. I’m pleased to welcome him on board after working closely with him. I believe he can bring the X-Factor to certain games and win a football match.”