West Ham & Wolves facing Fulham blow after Jordan James transfer twist | OneFootball

West Ham and Wolves have both been linked with a move for Jordan James this summer

West Ham and Wolves are both aiming to be in the mix for automatic promotion to the Premier League next season.

The two clubs have come down to the Championship after lengthy stints in the top flight, and will want to bounce straight back at the first attempt.

Nuno Espírito Santo remains in charge of the Hammers, and his previous success at this level came during his time at Molineux, guiding the Old Gold to the second tier title in 2018.

But now it is Cesar Peixoto who has been tasked with earning promotion with the Midlands outfit, with the Portuguese replacing Rob Edwards earlier this summer.

Both clubs will be keen to utilise the transfer market to bolster their first team options for the season ahead, as they are likely to face stiff competition in the battle for a top two finish.

And West Ham and Wolves have both been linked with Jordan James as a target this summer, so they will be competing on and off the pitch until the 1 September deadline.

West Ham and Wolves suffer Jordan James transfer blow

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It has been reported by Alan Nixon that Fulham are ready to close in on a deal to sign James from French side Rennes.

It’s believed that the former Birmingham City player is likely to join the Premier League side after spending last season on loan with Leicester City.

This will come as a blow to West Ham and Wolves, who are both set to miss out on the Wales international.

The 22-year-old has not been able to cement himself as a key part of the Rennes first team squad since joining from Birmingham in 2024.

This led to his loan move to the Foxes, where he made 34 appearances in the Championship, contributing 11 goals and four assists.

Wolves have also been linked with Jordan Holsgrove, who could be an alternative signing to James now that Fulham have won the race to his signature.

The Old Gold have made four signings so far this summer, including a permanent deal for loanee Ladislav Krejci.

The Championship side have also brought in Rafiki Said and Kieran Tripper, with Raul Jimenez also returning to Molineux.

Meanwhile, West Ham are yet to add a major first team addition this summer, with the club instead focusing on major player sales up to this point.

The Hammers have sold both Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes in big money deals.

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Jordan James miss is a blow for West Ham and Wolves

James’ exit from Rennes is the best for him, as he excelled in the Championship last season in a disappointing Leicester side and he’s not had much of a look in during his time in France.

Missing out on a deal for the 22-year-old is a blow for both West Ham and Wolves, as he is someone that could’ve aided their promotion bids.

But the chance to compete for the Cottagers is going to be more appealing at this stage, given they can offer Premier League football.

Wolves and West Ham will have to turn their attention to other targets quickly, as both teams still need to bolster their squads in order to compete for a top two finish next season.