Fulham complete £30m deal for Shea Charles on five-year contract | OneFootball

Fulham have signed Shea Charles from Southampton in a £30m deal, the 22-year-old agreeing a five-year contract and becoming the most expensive Northern Irishman ever. He will wear number 19.

According to Hounslow Herald, Fulham will pay £26m up front with a further £4m in add-ons. Charles said he was delighted with the club’s vision and hopes to kickstart his Premier League career.

The midfielder joined Manchester City’s academy in 2011 and spent 12 years there, winning back-to-back PL2 titles and captaining in 2022-23. He moved to Southampton in 2023, making 76 appearances and helping win promotion via the playoffs in his first season.

He spent the next campaign on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, where he won Player of the Season. Leeds United showed interest this summer, but Saints rejected multiple bids worth more than £20m. A versatile performer, he can also cover at centre-back or right-back and has 35 Northern Ireland caps.

Charles becomes the third signing under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Marco Silva this summer. Fulham have already added Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios for a combined £42.5m. Issa Diop and Sasa Lukic have been sold to Ipswich Town for £17.5m combined, while Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez left as free agents.

Source: Hounslow Herald

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