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Jordan James speaks for first time on decision to sign for Wolves

Jordan James speaks for first time on decision to sign for Wolves, joining on loan, from Rennes, with an option to buy.

The 22 year old, who was voted the Championship Young Player of the 2025/26 Season, signs for a reported loan fee of £1.7m with the option to buy set at £8.6m, according to per https://www.skysports.com/transfer-centre.

He scored 11 times and assisted 4 goals in 34 appearances for Leicester last season, just the player Wolverhampton Wanderers need right now.

In his first words, he said: “I’m looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday. I’m really happy to be here. I can’t wait to get started.

“Hopefully we have a really big season this year, that’s what I’m hoping for. I know you’re all hoping for that as well. I can’t wait to get start and hopefully win some games.”

Jordan James said in his interview, as per the club website: “I’m glad to get it over the line. It’s been a long few weeks for me, but I’m really happy and my family’s happy, and that’s the main thing. I can’t wait to get started. Hopefully it’s a big season for this club and a big season for me.

“My agent told me that the Wolves were interested and it’s always been somewhere that I’ve thought is a Premier League club. I’m just glad to be here now and to be able to show the fans what I can do. I’m looking forward to this Saturday to finally play some football.

“I’m still young, so I’m still learning my trade, but I’ve played a lot of games in the Champ now, I know what it’s like. There’s a lot of games, and physically it’s really demanding, but I think I’ve got that know-how now, and hopefully with this really talented team, we can do a lot of things this season.

“We’ve got enough talent and enough quality in this team to really do something special and that’s why I’ve come here. Obviously, my ambition is to play in the Premier League. I think that’s every footballer’s dream, so if I could do it with Wolves this season, that would be amazing.

“I can’t wait [to wear the . I’ve been waiting six weeks for this, so I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the fans and showing them what I’m capable of. For me, everything starts with the hard work and playing for the badge. It’s an honour to play for any club, especially a club as big as Wolves. When I step foot on that pitch, I’m going to be giving my all and hopefully that’s enough.

“I think all footballers will say they’re ready. If you chuck me on the pitch, I’m playing 90 minutes at the end of the day. It has been a tough six weeks, I’ve been in and out, but I’ve knuckled down. I’ve tried to be as fit as possible for this move. Hopefully, when I get on that pitch, I feel 100 percent, I feel good in myself, I feel fit.

On having a strong season: “It was a really, really good season for me. A positive season. Obviously, coming off the back of the Rennes season, which I played, but I didn’t really set the world alight like I wanted to. I just found it really easy outside of football and it made me realise that I play my best football when I’m happy and when I’m close to my family and friends.

“I went there with a lot of expectation, and I was able to live up to that on a personal level. Obviously, as a team, it was a disappointing season, but for me, I did beyond what I thought I could do, and it sort of changed my mindset in the sense of I can do a lot in this game, and that’s what I’m wanting to do.

“I went to Leicester wanting to do the same thing [promotion]. It went the opposite way, which was obviously baffling, and I think the whole football world was baffled with what happened. But it taught me a lot in the sense of you can’t just expect to win games. It doesn’t happen, especially in the Championship.”

On what fans can expect: “Hopefully a lot of goals, a lot of assists, being able to create. I showed my best position last year, in that eight, being able to defend, but also being able to arrive in the box late and score a lot of goals. My position has changed a lot since I was younger. Now I feel like I’m more athletic than I was and I’m able to get up and down the pitch, I’m able to influence the game with my athletic ability.

“I just love scoring goals, and that’s what I want to do this season. It’s so hard to pick up a number eight because you’re running from deep, and that’s where I get my chances because people don’t really expect you to be so high up in the pitch, and it hurts teams.”

Executive chairman Nathan Shi said: “Our approach this transfer window has been to identify players who are hungry to play for Wolves. After speaking to Jordan, it was clear he believes in our project and wants to be here, and we believe in him because he’s a fantastic player.

“We’re very excited to have him in the building. He was a top target of ours because he is a talented young player, is homegrown and knows the Championship well, having done so well last season.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing what Jordan can accomplish here at Wolves, with his new teammates and coaches.”

Head coach Cesar Peixoto said: “Jordan is a box-to-box midfielder, with a lot of quality, and knows the Championship well which is important for us. We try to bring players with the right characteristics for our team and to my system, and I think he is a good match for the team.

“He is a clever player, an intelligent player, and can play in two or three positions in our way of playing and structure. He is an important player to help us to improve this season.

“The more players who know the Championship, the better. He played here last year and did a great season, so can adapt to our way of playing, our team. He is a player with a good pedigree in the Championship, but the most important thing is one more option to improve the team.”

Cesar also said, as per the club website: “I’m happy because we need options. Jordan is a quality player, a box-to-box midfielder, with a lot of quality. He knows the Championship well which is important for us. He is a quality player to improve the team, which is the most important thing because we need more options to manage opposition, the Championship is a tough season, and we need these kinds of players to improve the team.

“We try to bring players with the right characteristics for our team and our system, and if they have the right characteristics, it’s easier. I think he is a good match with what we want for the team, what we want from the position he can play. He is a clever player, an intelligent player, who can play in two or three positions in our structure. He is a team player, an important player to help us to improve this season.

“A midfielder with 11 goals is amazing, but all the time I think of the team, how they improve the team, not only goals, but the way they play, and I think the match is good with him.

“Now he has to work because we have quality players, and you have to fight to play, but he’s very important because it’s a tough season, a lot of games, and we need options to stay fit at a good level, all the games, and I think Jordan James is a team player who is going to improve the team a lot.

“The more players who know the Championship, the better, because it’s a league with some different characteristics to the others. It’s important because he played here last year and did a great season. He’s more comfortable to adapt to the Championship, to adapt to our way of playing, our team. He is a player with a good pedigree in the Championship, but the most important thing is he is one more option to improve the team.”

Technical director Matt Jackson said: “Jordan had been coveted by a lot of teams, and I’m delighted that he’s chosen us. It was important that we waited for the right target rather than rush, and when you end up getting the result that you want, you are absolutely delighted.

“He’s really level-headed and ambitious, which is what you want to see, a bit of fire when you look into the eyes and see what they want to do. He’s a top player that’s really ambitious to progress his career.

“The way that Cesar plays with that rotation midfield, the three different positions, he can cover them all. He has a goal scoring contribution that’s proven, fantastic energy, and a great knowledge of the league, and he made it very clear that we were the destination he wanted.”

Matt spoke more, as per the club website: “We’re really pleased. He’s a young, ambitious player, and homegrown which is important. With the experience that he had last season, the contribution he made, the learning that he’s done by broadening his horizons abroad, he’s going to be a massive plus for us.

“He’d been coveted by a lot of teams, and I’m delighted that he’s chosen us. We’ve had to be patient, and him and his agent have been excellent in their communication, and Rennes have been very good with the way they’ve dealt with the situation. We’re delighted to have him here eventually and he was definitely worth waiting for.

“The way that Cesar plays with that rotation midfield, the three different positions, he can cover them all. He has a goal scoring contribution that’s proven, fantastic energy, and a great knowledge of the league, which we don’t have throughout the squad as much, so that will be a massive asset for us too.

“It’s that experience of preparing to play the 45 games, for him, that you have to play. It takes some learning and we’re aware that a squad that’s been in the Premier League for so long doesn’t necessarily have that know how. We’re trying to add that experience, albeit in a very young player.”

On the work going into the deal: “It goes on for a long time, and I know it gets frustrating for fans when it feels like everything gets stretched out, but waiting for the right target is better than signing the wrong target early. So, when you end up getting the result that you want, you are absolutely delighted.

“He’s really level-headed and ambitious, which is what you want to see, a bit of fire when you look into the eyes and see what they want to do. He’s a top player that’s really ambitious to progress his career.

“Once a decision was made from Rennes, Jordan made it very clear that we were the destination he wanted and it was relatively easy. It gets drawn out when word gets out and people start discussing it, but it’s been very straightforward. Obviously, clubs try and find out where they are in the window, and Rennes are a little bit later in their development of their season, so we have to have that certain amount of patience, but it’s worth it in the end.

“Last season at Leicester would have been a great learning experience, albeit not the best experience to go through. But his own individual contribution was outstanding all season.”

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