Lee Bowyer makes transfer admission on Birmingham player amid Premier League interest

Birmingham City manager Lee Bowyer believes teenager Jordan James should remain at the  Blues for at least one more season amid rising Premier League interest in his signature.

The 17-year-old is having a breakthrough season at St. Andrew’s, having made his debut for the Midlands club back in November 2021 as a substitute against Bristol City.

James has gone on to be a regular part of Bowyer’s plans in the Championship, appearing 17 times this season and he recently scored his first goal as a professional footballer in the 2-2 draw away at Stoke City.

Birmingham were able to tie down James to a professional contract earlier in the season – one that runs until the summer of 2024.

That hasn’t stopped the club trying to get James to commit to a longer deal since, with technical director Craig Gardner confirming last month that negotiations had begun for that process.

Football League World exclusively revealed though last week that top flight clubs were circling in regards to James, with the likes of Southampton, West Ham United and Everton all tracking the teen.

In the eyes of his current manager though, James would be best served by going down the route of Jude Bellingham and giving the club one more year to hone his craft instead of departing this summer.

“He won’t let that affect him,” Bowyer said on the interest in James, per BirminghamLive.

“Obviously there is always going to be speculation, a 17-year-old lad that’s doing really well, scored in the Championship – I don’t think there’s been too many for a while doing what he has done, so there was always going to be interest in him.

“He will stay grounded I have no doubt whatsoever, he is not a lad we need to worry about on that side of things.”

“Jordan is a good player