League Two Chesterfield may be faced with a challenge to keep hold of one of their star assets as Championship sides Blackburn Rovers, Swansea City and Watford join the race for his signature. 

James Berry has started the season in electric form moving his way up the fourth tier goalscoring charts to become the joint top goal scorer in the league on four goals. His form has attracted interest from sides in the Championship, who have reportedly sent scouts to make regular trips to analyse his performances.

The 23-year-old has been with the Spireites just over a year, having joined from Macclesfield in the summer of 2023. He has previously been on the books of Altrincham, Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Premier League giants Liverpool, where he was part of their academy set-up. His Chesterfield contract runs until 2026.

Last season in the National League he scored six and assisted four in 33 appearances helping his side achieve promotion back to the EFL as Champions.

Now, according to Pete O’Rourke, his club are preparing for potential bids from second tier sides in the January window.

Promising Signs for Chesterfield

The winger has made the step up to League Two football look easy contributing well to his side’s return to the football league despite their inconsistent form. Whilst it is always in a club’s interest to keep hold of their star assets, to see sides further up the pyramid paying attention to their players can only be a good sign. If he maintains his form until at least the winter window his stock will be high enough to net his club a decent fee with a year and a half left on his contract at the time.

Should they let him stay until the summer of 2025, they risk his value plummeting as he enters the final year of his deal and could even lose him for free.

Almost every club in the lower divisions have to be “selling clubs” and to get a decent sale, for a decent fee for a single player could be the difference between a promotion push and just a mediocre season.