Shea Charles becomes Northern Ireland’s record transfer after €35m move to Fulham | OneFootball

Fulham have signed Shea Charles from Southampton, with the fee about €35 million including add-ons, according to the BBC. The move makes the Northern Ireland international the most expensive in his country’s history.

The 22-year-old defensive midfielder has agreed a five-year contract with an option for a further year. Manchester-born Charles has spent the past three seasons in the Championship, and will now return to the Premier League.

Jamal Lewis’s €16.5 million switch to Newcastle had stood as the previous benchmark. Charles was developed at Manchester City and made his senior debut under Pep Guardiola on the final day of the 2022-23 season.

Southampton then signed him for €12.25 million, and now realise a significant profit with his sale to the Cottagers. He has been a Northern Ireland international since 2022, earning 35 caps and scoring one goal.

He registered an assist in a 1-3 friendly defeat to France, a match lit up by a Michael Olise hat-trick, before the World Cup. He had one year left on his Saints contract and Alvaro Arbeloa’s side have already added Real Madrid pair Gonzalo Garcia and César Palacios.

Source: L'Équipe

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