Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Pierce Charles over a return to the club, with TEAMtalk understanding a deal with Sheffield Wednesday is now entering its final stages – and he could be one of two new goalkeeper arrivals at the Etihad this summer.
TEAMtalk exclusively revealed back in April that City were looking to bring Charles back to the club where he started his career, and after accelerating negotiations over the past month, the move is now close to being completed.
Sources have confirmed to us that the 20-year-old, who has won 12 senior caps with Northern Ireland, has agreed his side of the transfer, with only the final details between Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday still to be resolved before the deal is signed off.
Charles has emerged as one of the brightest young goalkeeping talents in Britain during his time at Hillsborough, and City have tracked his progress closely ever since he departed their academy.
Now they are set to bring him back.
However, TEAMtalk understands one key decision still has to be made over Charles’ immediate future.
James Trafford is expected to leave the Etihad this summer, creating an opening in City’s goalkeeping department, but new head coach Enzo Maresca has yet to decide whether Charles will step straight in as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s understudy or whether the club should also still recruit a more experienced No.2…
Trafford is a target for multiple clubs this summer with Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Leeds all among his admirers and with one club closing in on a deal.
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Maresca looking at ex-Inter man to compete with Charles
Sources say Maresca is keen to assess Charles during pre-season before making a final call on whether to bring in another goalkeeper to act as understudy to Donnarumma, with the Northern Ireland international highly regarded but still only 20 years old.
TEAMtalk can also reveal that City remain active in the market for a backup goalkeeper should they decide experience is required behind Donnarumma.
Like Arsenal and Manchester United, City have been offered the chance to sign former Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer following his departure from the Serie A giants earlier this summer.
The experienced Switzerland international has been made available to several of Europe’s leading clubs and remains an option should City decide Charles would benefit from another season developing before becoming the club’s permanent No.2.
For now, though, all focus is on completing Charles’ return.
Having left City’s academy in search of first-team football, the highly-rated goalkeeper is now on the verge of completing a full-circle move back to the Etihad, with TEAMtalk understanding the transfer is expected to be finalised in the coming days.
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