It’s no secret that Pierce Charles is on his way out of Sheffield Wednesday.
The transfer of Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday to Manchester City is not yet complete - but it is in its very final stages, The Star understands.
Reports that the Northern Ireland number one had a medical with the Premier League giants earlier this week are believed to be correct and it is understood that with the financial aspects of the deal all-but finalised, last details and paperwork stands between one of the brightest talents in the EFL and a remarkable return to the Etihad.
As reported by The Wednesday Word, The Star shares the understanding that the Owls can expect a minimum £5m return on the deal, with £3m paid up-front. Should Charles go on to tick off all the achievements on a bonus structure, a total fee somewhere in the region of £10m is possible. The 20-year-old stopper signed for Wednesday for free having been released by City as a youngster. He signed his first professional contract with the Hillsborough club in 2022.
Clubs appear to be waiting on the completion of the deal, with decisions to be made on how Charles spends the coming season. James Trafford is expected to leave City which would in theory leave a first team opening behind Gianluigi Donnarumma, though a number of Championship clubs including QPR are understood to have interest in taking Charles on loan.
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The finite details of Wednesday’s recruitment restrictions having exited administration are not crystal clear, though as earlier reported by The Star it is believed that, broadly-speaking, the club will be able to reinvest the money recouped from sales amid a monster squad rebuild effort. Svante Ingelsson and Olaf Kobacki have both moved on for fees this summer, with Yan Valery expected to follow suit in the coming weeks - though Charles’ exit will surely be the greatest sale.
Efforts were made to sign Charles to a new deal at S6 but as in the case of Ingelsson particularly, under the club’s new ownership a more pragmatic approach is being taken to player futures and the recognised need to buy and sell players. The talented stopper was edging towards a sale to Ligue 1 club Strasbourg in January before a shoulder injury halted that deal.
Charles, who caught the eye behind the scenes on a pre-season training camp when he was only 16, played 36 times for Wednesday, earning a reputation as one of the most progressive profiles in the Football League. At the age of just 20 years old he has grown into international football admirably and has 12 caps at international level.
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