Fulham ‘to prepare’ £24m offer for Shea Charles amid Leeds interest | OneFootball

Leeds United remain keen on Shea Charles, but progress has been slow and a Premier League rival could now escalate the race. They have yet to match Southampton’s valuation, and talk of a deal being close is wide of the mark, though hope remains for an agreement.

According to the Daily Mail, Fulham are preparing an offer worth £24m, with new manager Alvaro Arbeloa keen to bring the 22-year-old to Craven Cottage. The report adds that talks are expected to advance and that Southampton want £25m plus add-ons.

Fulham have been mentioned as a potential rival this summer, with Crystal Palace also linked to the Northern Ireland international. Publicly revealing readiness to bid would offer little advantage to Fulham, and such information would most likely benefit Southampton by encouraging competition. Saints are minded to maximise value, not least because Manchester City retain a 15 per cent sell-on clause.

Charles was left out of the win at non-league neighbours Eastleigh on Saturday, and his absence was not believed to be transfer-related. He returned to pre-season later than many team-mates after representing Northern Ireland in two June friendlies.

Leeds are currently in the USA for pre-season, with games to come against Wrexham, Sunderland and Liverpool. The club have added signings mid-camp in previous summers and have medical facilities at home and across the Atlantic to finalise a deal.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk