Rangers plotting transfer move that Sheffield Wednesday fans won't like | OneFootball

Rangers are reportedly eyeing highly-rated Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles.

Sheffield Wednesday could be set to lose another of their prized assets as their nightmare summer continues, with reports claiming that Rangers are interested in goalkeeper Pierce Charles.

Rangers have already signed one player from Wednesday this week, with winger Djeidi Gassama completing a move to Ibrox for a fee of £2.2 million on Tuesday, and the income from his sale helped under-fire owner Dejphon Chansiri pay May and June's overdue wages.

However, with the Owls' financial problems showing no sign of easing, they could be forced to sell more players after the collapse of their proposed takeover, and according to TEAMtalk, Rangers are considering making another raid on the troubled South Yorkshire outfit for Charles.

After making the move from Manchester City in 2021, Charles progressed through the Wednesday academy to establish himself in the first team, and he finished last season as the club's number one goalkeeper, starting the final eight games of the campaign after Brighton & Hove Albion loanee James Beadle was dropped in March.

Charles has also cemented his place as Northern Ireland's first choice at international level over the past 12 months, and as his reputation continues to grow, it seems he is now attracting attention from the Scottish Premiership giants.

Rangers weighing up move for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles

Charles signed a new contract with Wednesday last May to keep him at Hillsborough until the summer of 2027, but that has done little to stop the speculation over his future, and after being linked with Premier League side Aston Villa ahead of the January transfer window, Rangers are the latest club to show interest in the 19-year-old.

Speaking earlier in the summer, Charles insisted that he had no intention of leaving the Owls any time soon, telling the Belfast Telegraph: "I don’t really pay any heed to it. If it comes round, it comes round.

"I’m so happy at Sheffield Wednesday right now. There’s nothing that could make me leave at this point. I’m playing and I’m really happy there."

However, those comments were made before Wednesday's off-field issues began, and it seems Charles' stance on a potential exit may now have changed, with TEAMtalk claiming that he is "enthusiastic" about the prospect of joining Rangers.

The Gers had been keen to sign Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, but journalist Alex Crook revealed this week that the Premier League outfit are unwilling to give the green light for him to make the switch to Ibrox, meaning manager Russell Martin will need to turn his attention elsewhere, and Charles is believed to have "emerged as a prime target" for the ex-Southampton boss.

In addition to Gassama's departure, Wednesday have also sold fellow winger Anthony Musaba to Turkish side Samsunspor for a fee of £800,000, while star forwards Josh Windass and Michael Smith left the club on Thursday after their contracts were terminated by mutual consent, and Charles could be the next to head out of the exit door.

Charles has long been a highly-rated talent at Hillsborough, and he produced some impressive performances after taking over as Wednesday's number one towards the end of last season.

Owls supporters were not only hopeful that Charles could be their first choice goalkeeper for years to come, but many had expected him to be sold for a significant transfer fee in the future, so to lose him to Rangers in what would likely be a cut-price deal would be another devastating blow for the club.

However, with no sign of an imminent takeover and July's payday looming, Chansiri may be forced to cash in on yet another of Wednesday's stars in order to meet his financial obligations as their chaotic summer goes from bad to worse.