Ipswich Town in pole position to sign Birmingham City player | OneFootball

The Blues midfielder is attracting plenty of interest from elsewhere

Ipswich Town are leading the race to sign midfielder Jordan James from Birmingham City in the summer transfer window.

That's according to a report from HITC, who say that a number of clubs are taking an interest in the 20-year-old.

Having come through the youth ranks with the Blues, James is already a regular at first-team level for the club, making 105 senior appearances in all competitions.

He has also been capped 11 times at senior international level by Wales over the course of the past 16 months, following his debut against Croatia in March 2023.

But following Birmingham's relegation from the Championship to League One at the end of last season, interest is starting to grow in the midfielder this summer.

Ipswich Town leading Jordan James transfer race

As per this latest update, it is Ipswich Town who are currently leading the race to sign James as we approach the final month of the transfer window.

It is thought that the Tractor Boys are currently front of the queue to sign the 20-year-old, as they look to do a deal with the Blues for yet another top EFL talent to follow the likes of Jacob Greaves to Portman Road.

However, they do face competition from elsewhere for the signing of the Birmingham midfielder.

Last season's Europa League winners Atalanta - who reportedly had a bid for James rejected back in January - are said to still be keen on the Welshman.

Meanwhile, Premier League sides such as Brighton, Brentford, Leicester City and Southampton are also credited with an interest in James by HITC.

As things stand, there is one year remaining on James' contract at Birmingham, although the club have the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.

The midfielder's future at St. Andrew's is therefore effectively secure until the end of the 2026/27 season, giving the Blues some scope to negotiate any bids that come in for him.

Ipswich of course, are preparing for life in the Premier League, after winning promotion from the Championship last season.

They have so far made five senior signings, with Omari Hutchinson, Ben Johnson, Jacob Greaves, Aro Muric and Liam Delap all completing permanent moves to Portman Road.

Birmingham have also had a busy summer, appointing Chris Davies as manager and signing eight new senior players as they look to bounce back after relegation to League One.

The Blues are scheduled to begin their campaign in the third-tier on Saturday 10th August, when they host Reading at St Andrew's.

Birmingham City losing Jordan James would be a significant but expected blow

There is no denying that it would be a setback for Birmingham if they were to sell James this summer.

Even in relegation from the Championship last season, the midfielder was a standout performer for the club at time.

They would therefore be losing a key player at an early stage of his career, when he still has plenty of time to improve and become an even bigger asset.

As a result, it is hard not to feel as though the departure of James will be a tough one to take for those connected with the club.

However, it is clear that the Welshman can play at a higher level than League One, meaning you couldn't blame him for looking to move on in the next few weeks.

Indeed, with the finances seemingly available to the likes of Ipswich, who can offer James the chance of top-flight football, it would feel like a surprise if he stays at Birmingham past the summer.

That though, should at least generate some sizable funds that can be reinvested into the squad at St Andrew's which may be some consolation for the Blues.