Matt Jackson says Jordan James made it clear that he wanted Wolves straight away, which makes his signing even more exciting at Molineux.
The midfielder was well sought after following his exploits last season, being voted the Championship Young Player of the Season, but was keen on a move to Molineux once conversations began, which made his capture even more appealing to Jackson.
The 22-year-old can play in a number of midfield roles and bagged 11 times from that area last season, and Wolves technical director Jackson believes the club have an exciting player who is determined to improve, which will only benefit the Old Gold.
On securing James’ signature
“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.”
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.”
‘Welcome to the pack, JJ.’ ✍️ pic.twitter.com/ug2HZ2LtUw
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 19, 2026
On being the perfect fit
“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 player being keen on the move
“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.”
