The January transfer window for Birmingham City may depend on Jordan James.
Wales international James has been the target of three bids from Serie A team Atalanta, all of which have been rejected by the Blues. There is a chance that another offer will come in the final two weeks of the transfer window. Although the asking price for Blues is unknown, rumors in Italy state Atalanta has been instructed to pay €10 million (£8.5 million) for James. 
Given the wealth of football nowadays, that amount isn’t particularly large, but it would be among Blues’ greatest sales ever. The only Blues players who have left for greater transfer payments are Jude Bellingham, Che Adams, and Matthew Upson.
James’ future has been candidly and freely discussed by Blues boss Tony Mowbray since joining the team. While it is evident that Blues would be satisfied with a certain number, Mowbray will only approve James’ sale in order to finance several new hires.
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“Only, I would suggest, would we even consider that if there are real opportunities to build the football team,” he stated. In two weeks, if I stand here and say, “This deal got done and look at the four players we’ve brought in……”
“JJ, with all due respect, cannot be guaranteed to go on and become a household name. He’s a cute boy with a great sense of drive and enthusiasm. The football team and its progress are more significant than any individual player. That’s me asking “what if,” not trying to sell him. Every football player has a cost.
Retaining James until the summer, when his worth may have skyrocketed, makes a lot of sense. With 25 appearances in the Championship this season, James has six goals. In 42 games for Bristol City last season, Alex Scott managed one goal and five assists before agreeing to a £25 million transfer to Bournemouth. Although James and Scott have different styles, that is undoubtedly a gauge by which we may assess James’ market value.
This transfer window has seen few players connected to the Blues. A shift in strategy has been brought about by the manager change, and Mowbray has evaluated his alternatives in his first two games in command. One player who has been connected to Blues this week is Alex Pritchard, a 30-year-old midfielder for Sunderland. Pritchard’s contract at the Stadium of Light ends in the summer. Pritchard worked under Mowbray there.
Last season, Pritchard started thirty league games under Mowbray, assisting Sunderland in making the playoffs. Pritchard has decent stats with four goals and seven assists. According to The Telegraph, Pritchard is being pursued by the Blues, Colorado Rapids, and Turkish team Sivasspor.
Pritchard and the Blues have previously been connected. Prior to Pritchard’s departure for Sunderland in 2021, Blues were said to have expressed interest in him during Craig Gardner’s first stint as technical director.
Regarding exits, it’s impossible to rule out additional loan agreements for the Blues’ youth players. Last week, Brandon Khela joined Ross County, and Josh Williams and Marcel Oakley, among others, would gain from senior football.
Khela, 18, impressed in the preseason and began the season with two cameo appearances as a substitute. Derek Adams, the manager of Ross County, is expressing gratitude to the stars that Khela chose the Staggies.
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