Everton track Southampton star as Hayden Hackney alternative | OneFootball

Shea Charles' future at Southampton is up in the air ahead of the transfer market opening on 15 June

Southampton are planning for another year in the Championship after their play-off hopes ended in controversy.

The Saints were expelled from the competition as a result of the spying scandal that enveloped the club.

Middlesbrough had accused their promotion rival of filming a pre-match training session prior to the first leg of their play-off clash, and they later admitted to a total of three instances of breaching the EFL’s rules on spying.

While Tonda Eckert’s side won 2-1 against Middlesbrough in the semi-final, they did not get to face Hull City in the final as they had been removed by the EFL prior to the trip to Wembley Stadium.

As the fallout from the scandal rumbles on, the Hampshire outfit will be planning for a potentially busy summer transfer window.

Southampton will be eager to compete for promotion again next season, albeit they will be starting from behind as they were also handed a four-point deduction penalty.

Everton eye Southampton deal for Shea Charles

It has been reported by The Athletic that Everton 'have followed' Shea Charles.

The Toffees have emerged as the front-runners for Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, but are also keeping tabs on the Southampton midfielder as well, it seems.

David Moyes is hoping to bolster his options in the middle of the pitch this summer after the Merseyside outfit finished 13th in the table.

Charles has emerged as a possible option, with the club facing a lot of competition in the race to sign Hackney.

The Southampton star was a key player as Eckert’s side rose from the bottom half of the Championship to fourth in the table.

The 22-year-old made 31 appearances in the regular campaign, contributing three goals and two assists, as well as scoring the winner in their play-off semi-final against Boro.

Charles signed for the Saints in the 2023 summer transfer window from Manchester City, and has made a total of 63 league appearances for the club in that time.

The Northern Ireland international has a contract until June 2027, meaning he is now into the final 12 months of his current deal.

This could force Southampton into a sale in the upcoming transfer market in order to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing next year.

Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Charles, who was signed by Southampton by the Red Devils’ current sporting director Jason Wilcox.

It will be tough for Southampton to keep hold of Shea Charles

Charles impressed with his performances this season, and it’s not too surprising that Premier League clubs are now looking at the 22-year-old.

Given he is in the final year of his contract, this could be Southampton’s last chance to cash in on the player and earn a solid fee for his exit.

Everton would be an exciting step-up for the Northern Irishman, as they would offer a clear pathway to regular Premier League football, whereas he would likely only be a rotation option at somewhere like Old Trafford.

Working under someone with the experience of Moyes could also be quite appealing as well, but any deal could depend on whether the top flight team can secure Hackney’s signature first.