Fulham ‘to prepare’ £24m bid for Leeds target Shea Charles | OneFootball

Leeds United face renewed competition for Shea Charles as attention from Premier League rivals grows. Their interest remains and there is hope an agreement can be reached, but no offer has met Southampton’s valuation and talk of an imminent deal is considered premature.

According to the Daily Mail, Fulham are preparing a £24m offer, Alvaro Arbeloa is keen to bring the 22-year-old to Craven Cottage, talks are expected to advance and Southampton want £25m plus add-ons.

Fulham and Crystal Palace have already been flagged as possible rivals for the Northern Ireland international. Publicly revealing any intent to bid would not typically benefit Fulham, and if an offer is being readied, keeping it quiet would avoid alerting competitors. Such information would most obviously aid Southampton.

Southampton are keen to maximise value, with Manchester City holding a 15 per cent sell-on clause. Increased demand could push the price up via a bidding war.

Charles missed Saturday’s win at non-league neighbours Eastleigh, although his absence was not believed to be transfer-related. He returned to pre-season later than many team-mates after June duty with Northern Ireland.

Leeds are now in the USA for pre-season, facing Wrexham, Sunderland and Liverpool. The club have previously welcomed signings mid-camp and possess the medical facilities at home and abroad to complete a deal.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk