West Ham, Southampton and Norwich City are all eyeing a potential January transfer move for Exeter City youngster Ed James.
According to Football Insider, the defender is attracting a lot of interest ahead of the mid-season transfer market, which opens next month.
James is currently on loan with Yeovil Town in the National League South, where he has made two league appearances since his late November arrival.
The Welshman has previously spent time on loan with the likes of Weymouth, Tiverton Town and Dorchester United, but after a handful of appearances for Exeter earlier in the season in the EFL Trophy, and now in the sixth tier of English football, 19-yearold James is attracting interest further up the pyramid.
Exeter City: Ed James wanted by Southampton, West Ham & Norwich City
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Teenage defender James has caught the attention of three clubs as we approach the January transfer window.
It has been reported that Championship side Norwich - whose under-21's side take part in the Premier League 2 competition along with top flight clubs - are one of the teams keeping tabs on his progress, as well as Premier League sides Southampton and West Ham.
James hasn’t been able to break into the Exeter first-team squad for regular league action as of yet, but made his League One debut in October 2022 at the age of just 17, and has earned a reputation as a promising young star coming through in Gary Caldwell’s squad.
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The centre-back is set to return to St. James' Park in January when his current loan expires, and has a contract that runs until the summer of 2026.
It remains to be seen whether the third tier side would be willing to sanction a sale in the new year, but the opportunity to move up in the English football pyramid will be an alluring one.
And perhaps the key to convincing him to stay will be greater first team opportunities once he returns to City at the turn of the year, although that is easier said than done on paper.
Ed James could be yet another EFL youngster who is stockpiled in a top flight under-21 squad
Exeter City St James Park
James’ reputation is clearly already growing, despite the fact he's only played once in league action for Exeter in his career.
Norwich will have stiff competition in the race to his signature given there are now two Premier League clubs also eyeing the defender, but this is what top flight clubs do - they take EFL youngsters on the cheap to boost their developmental squads.
With Exeter a stable third tier club, it's unlikely that James will get any game-time anytime soon, even if he continues to impress at Yeovil for the remainder of 2024.
And given his contract situation, Exeter may be forced to consider a decent bid for James' services - especially if it lets him go and develop at a Category One youth system.