How Jordan James is getting on at Rennes since leaving Birmingham City | OneFootball

The Welshman has had a tumultuous time after switching League One for Ligue 1 last summer

Jordan James’ departure from Birmingham City was inevitable last summer, with the Welshman destined for a bright future in the game after a promising start to his career at St Andrew’s.

Blues had already reportedly rejected advances from Serie A side Atalanta in the January transfer window of 2024, with more interest coming in as the Midlands outfit dropped down into League One.

Eventually, it was Ligue 1 side Rennes that got their hands on the midfielder last year, with the deal reported to be around £4 million up front, and could eventually rise to £8 million if all clauses are met.

Things have been up and down for the midfielder since moving across the Channel, as he took some time to establish himself in his new surroundings.

Jordan James struggles to break through into Rennes first-team before Julien Stephan departure

Despite the significant outlay on James over the summer, he initially struggles to make his breakthrough into the Rennes first-team this season, with just three substitute appearances to his name in the first two months of the campaign.

The 20-year-old went two months without even getting onto the pitch for Les Rouges et Noirs, with former Leeds United man Glen Kamara ousting him in the starting XI, as well as the likes of Azor Matusiwa, Albert Grønbæk and Baptiste Santamaria.

That all changed in November though, with boss Julien Stephen shown the door after a run of three wins from the first ten matches of the season, and Jorge Sampaoli was chosen to succeed him in the dugout.

Almost immediately, James was instated into the starting lineup under the Argentinian, and scored his first goal for the club in a Coupe de France victory over Bordeaux in the run-up to Christmas, as he proved his manager right in selecting him on a regular basis.

From there, the Welsh international was a regular in the side, although Rennes were still struggling for results, with Sampaoli’s reign being cut short after less than three months in charge, and former Aston Villa and Newcastle United man Habib Beye now in charge.

Having been at St Andrew’s during some of their more turbulent years, a regular change of manager would be nothing new for James, with plenty of bosses coming and going during his time as a Bluenose.

So far, Beye has also put his faith in last summer’s arrival, with results picking up, and any relegation fears eased as we head into the final few weeks of the season, with eight points separating themselves and the drop zone.

Jordan James opens up on Rennes performances after Ligue 1 move

James will be the first to admit his first season in France hasn’t gone the way he had expected, with Rennes fighting for survival, rather than competing for the European spots at the top of the division.

The Welshman opened up on his time in France in a press conference earlier this month, and how the recent upturn in events has helped the group as a whole, while also commenting on how he has adapted to his new surroundings.

"Winning matches has helped us gain confidence. The club is used to performing well, and when things don't work out, it's inevitably difficult to manage. The last few weeks have been very positive," he said.

"There's always a loved one with me at Rennes. It's important for me to always have a familiar face by my side, someone I can talk to, whether it's my parents or grandparents.

"I think they're very proud of me. It was a real challenge to come and play abroad; we never really considered it when I was younger.

"Having the opportunity to have my family here is precious. I just feel bad for my brother, who has to go to university in England and can't come often."

"You shouldn't look at the bottom of the table; on the contrary, you have to aim for the top.

"We're in a very good mood, I think we're playing well collectively. On the other hand, Europe isn't on our minds right now either; we're taking it game by game. We've been through a difficult period, and we don't want to go back to it. The goal is to win each match, and then look ahead to what comes next."

Having coming through the tough times, it looks as if things are looking brighter for James and Rennes under their new boss, and he will have every hope of kicking on for the remainder of the campaign.

City supporters will know just how effective he can be once he gets into full flow, and after taking a year to adapt to his new way of life, there will be plenty of optimism about what the 25/26 season will bring.