Southampton handed Shea Charles boost as Manchester United ‘to enter race’ for Hayden Hackney | OneFootball

Southampton are aiming to keep the core of their squad after missing out on Premier League promotion due to expulsion from the Championship play-offs, and have been handed a boost over Shea Charles as Manchester United focus on alternative midfield options this summer.

Mail Sport linked the 22-year-old with United as they rework their midfield, but the Northern Echo reports that United are preparing to "enter the race" for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, indicating Charles is not an immediate priority.

Signed from Manchester City in 2023, the Northern Irish box-to-box midfielder has grown from a 19-year-old prospect into a mature Championship performer and appears ready for the next step. He struck last-gasp winners in a comeback from 3-0 down at Leicester City, in a 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal, and in the play-off semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough.

Southampton hold an option to extend Charles’s contract beyond the end of the 2026/27 season, strengthening their position and allowing them to set a high asking price.

For now, United’s interest in Charles appears less aggressive than their pursuit of Hackney. It is a clear boost for Southampton, though other suitors could emerge as the window nears. Charles remains at the club for the moment, and a move away this summer cannot be ruled out.

Source: Sainstmarching.com