Leicester part ways with Jordan James after his strange comments stir attention

Leicester City supporters would have loved to see Jordan James stay at the club, even if the former Birmingham City midfielder has openly praised Foxes rival figure and outspoken pundit Troy Deeney.

Still, the chances of the attacking midfielder remaining at Leicester City after helping the club return to the EFL Championship always felt slim. Any hopes of him leading the Foxes back to the Premier League were equally unrealistic.

And if anyone seriously expected James to stay in Leicestershire beyond this campaign, the Wales international had a blunt response of his own: “you have lost your mind.”

Jordan James leaves after two questionable Leicester City comments

In reality, Leicester were never likely to afford keeping James permanently, while the 21-year-old would hardly want to spend another season outside the top flight. For many, that would simply feel like wasted potential.

Some Leicester fans also raised eyebrows when James described former Birmingham teammate Deeney as the greatest player in EFL history. Given Deeney’s role in one of Leicester’s most painful moments the dramatic 2013 play-off semi-final defeat those comments were never going to go down well at the King Power Stadium.

But the remark that now looks especially awkward came when James completely dismissed the possibility of Leicester suffering relegation. Speaking with confidence earlier in the campaign, he insisted suggestions of the Foxes dropping down were ridiculous.

“If you think Leicester can be in League One, then you have lost your mind,” James told BBC Radio Leicester.

“The players we have got are Premier League players and it will show. I genuinely believe that.”

With hindsight, those comments have not aged particularly well. Football rarely forgives overconfidence, especially in a brutal Premier League season. As James heads back following his loan spell from Stade Rennais FC, he leaves behind mixed memories flashes of quality, strong belief, but also words that became difficult for Leicester supporters to ignore after relegation.