Southampton eye Leicester's Player of the Season to fill the Charles void | OneFootball

Southampton are assessing Jordan James as a possible answer to their Shea Charles vacancy, with rivals circling. According to Sainstmarching.com, Wolves and West Ham are also keen on the 21-year-old midfielder.

Back at Rennes after a loan at Leicester, he won their Player of the Season with 11 goals and four assists in 34 games. He had already played 105 times for Birmingham City, and he is a senior Wales international.

He is not a like-for-like for Charles. The former was a holding midfielder, while James breaks lines and hurts teams in the box, as last season underlined. That shift could suit Southampton, with Finn Azaz still regaining fitness at Staplewood after a shin problem.

Flynn Downes is the anchor Eckert trusts and is not moving. That opens an advanced role, and a runner who scores could fill it. Caspar Jander, the £10m buy from Nurnberg, could yet depart, and academy product Cameron Bragg offers cover.

Money remains the catch. Southampton banked up to £30m for Charles from Fulham, but a sell-to-buy plan can stall. Leicester’s option to buy James last season lapsed, so Rennes now set the price amid Premier League interest.

James is one of several options under consideration. If Southampton win the race, they could turn a painful sale into an upgrade. Verdict: 4/5, potentially a great fit, and Likelihood: 2/5, do not hold your breath.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”