A look at Jordan James' situation after his Birmingham City exit | OneFootball

The Welsh midfielder has not had the start he wanted at new side Rennes

Jordan James became the latest in a long line of Birmingham City academy products to make a big move away from the Blues as he joined French side Rennes in the summer, but has not had a great start to life in Ligue 1 as yet.

The Welsh international broke through into the first-team at St Andrew's as a 17-year-old in 2021, and became a key man for his boyhood club over the next three years, particularly in the Championship last season, despite relegation.

He bagged eight goals last term in a standout campaign, and earned plaudits throughout the year for his commanding performances in the middle of the park, so earned a move to Rennes in the summer, for a reported fee of around £4 million on a four-year deal, after Blues had gone down to League One.

James had looked set to play a big part at St Andrew's under Chris Davies this season, so his late August switch came as a surprise to many, and he has struggled to fully adapt to life in Ligue 1 as yet.

Jordan James' current situation at Rennes following Birmingham exit​​​​​​

James explained that he "wanted something new" for his footballing career upon his arrival at 'Les Rennais', but the last few months have not gone to plan for him in France.

He was handed his debut for the club off the bench in August, with a late cameo in a 3-1 loss to Strasbourg, then made two more substitute appearances in the next two games against Montpellier and RC Lens respectively.

Those eight minutes against Lens on September 21 represent the last time he took to the pitch for Rennes, as he has warmed the bench in four of the club's last six outings, and was not even included in the matchday squad for games against Paris Saint-Germain and Toulouse.

The 20-year-old, however, may well have been handed a welcome reprieve in recent weeks, after head-coach Julien Stephan was sacked on November 7 with the club in 13th position in Ligue 1, after a shock 4-0 loss to newly-promoted Auxerre.

Former Sevilla and Marseille boss Jorge Sampaoli is now in charge at Roazhon Park, and he could give a technically-gifted, promising player like James a chance to prove himself on the big stage this season.

James will be pleased that he has remained a part of Wales' recent squads for their key Nations League B games, and his most recent appearances at any level have come for his country against Iceland and Turkey, so he will hope for a notable increase in game-time at club level in the months to come to vindicate his decision to depart the Second City.

James' minimal game-time has contributed to a lack of social media activity

A sure sign of being able to tell whether a player has settled in well with a new club, particularly overseas when they are also adapting to a new culture, is by assessing the frequency of their posts on social media accounts.

James, who saw his followers swell to over 20,000 on Instagram following his Rennes switch, has been pretty quiet online since the move, especially compared to his Blues days, which may well indicate his feelings toward his situation right now.

Following his August transfer, the 20-year-old has made five posts on the social media site, and just one is related to Rennes, with the other four all regarding his time with the national team.

James has been backed by a key figure in his career

The Hereford-born midfielder has amassed a number of caps for Wales since his international debut in March 2023, aged just 18, and is now a regular starter under recently-appointed boss Craig Bellamy, who has publicly offered him his support during a tough spell in France.

"“I’ve had little conversations with JJ (Jordan James). It’s always difficult for a kid or anyone who moves to a different country. It was the same with myself (in Belgium) the first couple of months," Bellamy explained last week, via the Birmingham Mail.

“You’re picking up the language, but it’s just a different way of doing things. Even simple things like the food.

"JJ is in that period where he’s still a young kid. But he’s at a really good football club that develops young players and progresses them and I see it as a smart move.

"I know JJ’s not getting game time right now, but in his future development this will be a really good period for him. I believe it will accelerate him and he’s going to be a beneficial player for Wales for a number of years."

Those encouraging words will be music to James' ears, particularly from a Welsh legend and experienced ex-professional like Bellamy, who faced his fair share of hardships throughout his playing career.

It remains to be seen how the next few months and years will pan out for James at Rennes, but he certainly has the potential to be a key player at the highest level, and just needs someone to realise that talent and take a chance on him in the short-term to be able to reap the long-term rewards.