Birmingham City: Nathan Redmond and John Ruddy send Jordan James message after St Andrew's exit | OneFootball

John Ruddy and Nathan Redmond were among those to wish Jordan James well after he sealed his move from Birmingham City to Rennes.

Highlights

Former Birmingham City players Nathan Redmond and John Ruddy were among those to wish Jordan James well after he completed his move to Rennes.

The 20-year-old was one of few positives for Blues as they were relegated from the Championship last season, and despite the ambitious owners in place, keeping James in the third tier was always unlikely.

A host of clubs had been linked with the Welsh international over the past few months, and it was Rennes who won the race for his signature, with James’ arrival announced on Monday.

Jordan James sends emotional Birmingham City message

James came through the ranks at Birmingham, having joined the academy as a kid, so it would have been a big decision for the youngster to move on, even if it feels like the right step in his career.

He reflected on that in an emotional message on Instagram, where he thanked the players and staff for the help they have given him over the years, along with the fans for the support shown.

And, Ruddy and Redmond were among those to reply to the midfielder, with the ex-goalkeeper stating ‘all the best JJ’.

It was a similar theme from ex-Blues winger Redmond, who put: ‘good luck, enjoy the next chapter’.

Jordan James can go on to have a great career

As mentioned, relegation to League One meant that it was always going to be an uphill task in convincing James to remain at St. Andrew’s.

Even though Blues expect to return to win promotion this season, and to reach the Premier League in a few years, the reality is that James has the ability to be playing at a higher level right now.

Rennes is a club that expect to be pushing for European football, and this will give James the chance to play in one of the top five leagues, so it will be great for his development.

Anyone who has seen him play will recognise that he is capable of making an impact in Ligue 1, as he is a powerful, driving force in the middle of the park.

So, unfortunately for Blues, James had to make this move for the good of his career, and all connected to the club will no doubt be wishing him well as he tries to fulfil his potential.

Birmingham City’s summer transfer plans

It remains to be seen whether James’ exit will convince Blues to go back into the market for a central midfielder, but Chris Davies has made it clear he wants two players for every position, so it’s an area that arguably does need to be addressed.

On the whole, it has been an excellent window for Birmingham, as they’ve been really aggressive and ambitious with who they’ve managed to bring in.

But, the performance against Reading on the opening day was a reminder that it will take time for this talented group to click.