Speed is needed in Birmingham City, Jordan James transfer situation: View | OneFootball

Birmingham City will hope that the uncertainty over the future of midfielder Jordan James is resolved quickly.

Highlights

Birmingham City are preparing for life in League One after their relegation from the Championship.

The Blues were relegated after a disastrous campaign in which six different managers took charge of the team, and they will play in the third tier for the first time in almost 30 years next season.

Birmingham were hopeful that Tony Mowbray would be able to return to the club for pre-season, but the 60-year-old has stepped down due to health reasons, and Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Chris Davies has been announced as his replacement.

The Blues have made one new signing so far this summer, with goalkeeper Ryan Allsop arriving from Hull City, and there are likely to be plenty more new additions over the coming months.

There have also been a number of departures, with the likes of John Ruddy, Neil Etheridge, Marc Roberts, Ivan Sunjic, Gary Gardner and Scott Hogan departing at the end of their contracts, and Alex Pritchard is closing in on a move to Turkish side Sivasspor.

Birmingham may not be too disappointed to lose Pritchard as he struggled to make an impact after joining from Sunderland in January, but one player they will be desperate to keep hold of is midfielder Jordan James.

James was one of the standout performers in an incredibly disappointing season for the Blues, and he was nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Season award.

As well as starring for Birmingham, James has established himself as a regular for Wales at international level over the past year, and he is attracting plenty of transfer interest this summer.

Jordan James transfer latest

Italian side Atalanta made offers for James in January, but they could not agree terms with the Blues, and they were not the only club interested in the midfielder, with Crystal Palace also reportedly making a bid.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Atalanta remain interested in James this summer, while Bologna, West Ham United and Leicester City are also said to be keeping tabs on him.

It seems that James' list of suitors is continuing to increase, with The Telegraph reporting this week that Nottingham Forest are the latest side to join the race for the 19-year-old.

Birmingham City will hope for a quick resolution to Jordan James saga

With such widespread interest in his services, it looks inevitable that James will be leaving St Andrew's this summer, particularly after Birmingham were relegated to League One.

The Blues' negotiating position has been weakened by their relegation, but they will still be determined to secure the maximum possible fee for James' services, and they could reasonably demand over £10 million for a player of his potential.

Birmingham will not want speculation over James' future to drag on for too long and become a distraction as they prepare for the new season, and with the club likely to receive a big windfall for the midfielder, they will want the income from his sale as soon as possible to enable Davies to reinvest in the squad.

The Blues should not rush into selling James, and a bidding war between his suitors could see his valuation increase significantly, but they must not allow the saga to go on for too long.

There are some benefits to keeping hold of James until the later stages of the window, and with the club known to be incredibly ambitious, they may not have given up hope of retaining the Welsh international.

Davies is reportedly set to be given a £20 million budget this summer, and Birmingham have been linked with some high-profile targets, including Burnley's Scott Twine and Sheffield Wednesday's Josh Windass, so a strong transfer window could convince James to remain at the club.

James is also likely to thrive in League One, and if he features in the Blues' opening fixtures and enjoys his football under Davies, he could decide to stay and help his side make an immediate return to the Championship.

However, playing in the third tier could be damaging to James' international prospects, and the opportunity to play Premier League or Champions League football would be tough for him to turn down, so it seems likely he will be on the move this summer.

With that in mind, Birmingham must be realistic about James' situation, and if they receive an offer that matches their valuation, they should cash in on him and allow Davies to spend the money on rebuilding his squad.