Man Utd join Rangers and Everton in race to seal Southampton FC transfer | OneFootball

Manchester United have joined Rangers and Everton in an unexpected Southampton player pursuit

Southampton will be bidding to make further strides towards sealing a top-six spot under Tonda Eckert in the coming weeks, with the possibility of returning to the Premier League at the first attempt remaining a realistic possibility in what has been a mixed 2025/26 Championship campaign for the Saints.

Eckert's side find themselves rather well-poised to finish the season in the play-offs following a remarkable upturn in form, with Southampton having not lost a single game since the middle of January.

Although the Saints are positioned in seventh place at the time of writing, they have won nine of their last twelve outings in the Championship, hold a crucial game in hand over Wrexham in sixth ahead of this evening's crunch trip to North Wales and are also enjoying a memorable run in this season's FA Cup.

Southampton edged past League One outfit Doncaster Rovers in the third round before claiming victories over Leicester City and Fulham to set up a quarter-final tie at home to Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta's side were, of course, the overwhelming favourites for victory at St Mary's Stadium as they eye glory in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, although they were left stunned when Ross Stewart and Shea Charles cancelled out Viktor Gyokeres' second-half strike to clinch a 2-1 victory and advance towards the semi-finals, where they will face Manchester City later this month.

Charles emerged as the ultimate hero on Saturday evening by downing Arsenal with his 85th-minute winner, which was the latest benchmark in what has been yet another impressive campaign for the 22-year-old.

However, as per a significant recent update, it could transpire that Charles' future in Hampshire may depend on the outcome of Southampton's ongoing promotion bid as the vultures continue to circle ahead of a potential summer exit.

Manchester United, Everton and Rangers in transfer race for Southampton's Shea Charles

According to a recent report from Mail Sport, interest in Charles' signature from a number of top-flight outfits is growing heading into this summer's transfer window and Southampton have responded by setting a £20 million asking price.

It's said that the 33-cap Northern Ireland international is being tracked by Premier League pair Everton and Manchester United, with the latter eyeing a replacement for outgoing midfielder Casemiro amid well-documented pursuits of Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali.

However, if one of the two sought-after starlets cannot be prised away from Nottingham Forest or Newcastle United respectively, then there is every chance that Charles - a product of Manchester City's academy system prior to joining Southampton in a £15 million deal in the summer of 2023 - could come under serious consideration for a potential move to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils and Everton aren't the only sides to have set their sights on Charles, though, with Rangers also reportedly keen to acquire the midfielder's services.

Now under the management of Danny Rohl, who managed Charles during a productive loan stint with Sheffield Wednesday last term, the Scottish giants represent another admirer of the Saints starlet but may struggle to compete financially with Premier League competition.

Meanwhile, it's added that two unnamed Premier League clubs along with a side in Italy are monitoring Charles ahead of what could turn out to be a strong and well-contested summer transfer battle.

Charles will have one year left on the four-year deal he penned once the summer rolls around, which will be very much in Southampton's thinking as they look to ensure his future lies on the south coast.

Southampton could face Shea Charles transfer exit threat if promotion bid fails

Southampton will be aware that Charles' future could lie out of their hands if Eckert fails to guide the side through promotion, which will have to come through the second-tier play-offs providing that they can see off stiff competition elsewhere.

The midfielder's contractual situation could prove a real complication, and Southampton may find themselves in a position where they have to maximise remaining market value.

Should promotion be gained, of course, such fears would be allayed and the Saints will be well-placed to offer extended terms and receive much-needed security over the dynamic midfielder's future, but it hangs very much in the balance at this stage.

A similar situation could well arise with Leo Scienza, who has been courted by no shortage of circling top-flight sides in recent times and will have only drawn further attention from his dazzling Player of the Match performance against Arsenal over the weekend, with extra incentive now being added to Southampton's ever-intensifying pursuit of promotion.