Jordan James says he chose Wolves over Premier League opportunities

Jordan James says he rejected opportunities to move to the Premier League before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan last month. In comments reported by BBC Sport, the Wales midfielder explained that he preferred the prospect of pursuing promotion with Wolves to another season in a struggling team. He remains contracted to French club Rennes, with Wolves holding an option to buy him next summer.

Watch the highlights:

James said he had received several offers but did not consider a move straight into the top flight the right choice. Having experienced losing campaigns with Birmingham City and Leicester City, he wanted the chance to win more regularly. He described Wolves as a club capable of helping him reach the Premier League and expressed confidence that he could play at that level.

The move follows a productive individual season on loan at Leicester, where James scored 11 goals in 34 appearances and was named the club’s player of the year. Those contributions were not enough to prevent relegation to League One. James said he remained deeply fond of Leicester and credited the club with giving him the confidence to perform, despite the team’s disappointing outcome.

He also indicated that staying at Leicester might have appealed had their results been better. Relegation prompted him to consider a different destination, and he said Wolves quickly became his preferred choice. His latest loan keeps him in the Championship, where Wolves are seeking promotion, rather than taking him into the third tier with Leicester.

James separately clarified that the possibility of joining Wrexham belonged to the summer of 2025, not the most recent transfer window. Asked whether Wrexham had been an option this time, he said that opportunity had passed. He expressed satisfaction with choosing Leicester last year and said he had enjoyed his season there, notwithstanding their relegation.

At Wolves, James has scored once in six league appearances, all as a substitute, while his starts this season have come in the EFL Cup. The loan agreement gives the club a route to make the move permanent, but no purchase has been confirmed. For James, the stated ambition is to earn a place in the Premier League by helping Wolves get there.