Tonda Eckert breaks silence on Shea Charles as Leeds and Fulham push | OneFootball

Tonda Eckert has broken the silence on Shea Charles' situation at Southampton as Premier League interest grows from Fulham and Leeds United...

The Premier League interest in Shea Charles is mounting, with the Southampton midfielder attracting interest from Leeds United, Fulham, and Crystal Palace after performing well under Tonda Eckert.

A Northern Ireland international with 35 caps to his name already at just 22, Shea Charles scored six goals in 38 games for Southampton as they reached the play-offs. Injuries and rotation saw him start 24 of those appearances.

Leeds United have been interested in Charles for over a month now, with numerous offers made by Leeds to Southampton in their pursuit of the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder. That was before Crystal Palace joined the race for Charles.

A Premier League midfielder in many ways, Southampton have stood firm in their valuation of Charles so far following a third and final bid being made by Leeds for the midfielder. Since then, it has emerged that Fulham have registered their interest in Charles.

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert speaks on Shea Charles situation

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With the likes of Caspar Jander and Flynn Downes at the club, Southampton have quality options at the bas of midfield already. However, that hasn't stopped Tonda Eckert's side from caving in at a price below their expectations, even if it could help balance the books.

Graham Smyth of The Yorkshire Evening Post claims Leeds' offer remains on the table for the Saints, with the Whites unwilling to match Southampton's valuation currently. It's a deal that they may revisit later this summer, but interest appears to have cooled somewhat.

In recent days, Fulham have had a bid rejected for Charles. The offer, according to Simon Jones of The Daily Mail, was around £24 million. It means Charles remains a Southampton player as pre-season begins to ramp up.

Speaking via The Daily Echo, Eckert has cleared up the situation amid the growing Premier League interest. He states: “On the back of the season that he's played, I think it's more than clear that there's interest. I'm happy to have him around at the very moment.

“He's been excellent from the first day he came back. I think he's shown that he's on a good level to perform and I think the rest is for the club to sort.”

Eckert and co. are currently underway with a pre-season camp in Germany, but a number of players involved may not be a part of their 2026/27 Championship push. That includes Charles, even if he has been professional thus far.

Fulham and Leeds United will have to be patient if they want Shea Charles

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If Southampton remain firm on their valuation of Charles, Leeds and Fulham may ultimately have little choice but to pursue alternative midfield targets rather than becoming embroiled in a lengthy summer transfer saga.

With both clubs keen to strengthen before the season gets underway, tying up a significant portion of their budget in one difficult negotiation could prove to be risky. However, there is also an argument for remaining patient.

Southampton may feel under no immediate pressure to sell, but that situation could change as the transfer window progresses. Should the Championship outfit feel the need to raise funds, trim the wage bill, or finance further additions of their own, their negotiating position could weaken.

If that happens, Charles' asking price may become more realistic, allowing Leeds or Fulham to revisit a move later in the window on more favourable terms. It all depends on their need for a midfielder to be sought immediately or if it could be something they are willing to wait on, but this saga doesn't appear to be over just yet.