**West Ham United have stepped back from a move for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles.**
According to [Alex Crook](https://x.com/alex_crook/status/1956012871277490466), negotiations over the transfer of the highly-rated shot stopper collapsed over what West Ham saw as unreasonable demands from the Championship club.
The Hammers had tabled multi-million-pound offers for the 20-year-old Northern Ireland international, but both bids were rejected outright.
The decision has raised plenty of eyebrows, given Wednesday’s well-publicised financial struggles under controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri.
Chansiri’s tenure has been marred by late wage payments and a less-than-ideal thinning squad.
Wednesday went into the 2025/26 Championship season with just 16 registered first-team players, and there are reports that some players are being paid selectively based on their importance to the team.
Charles came through Wednesday’s academy and has established himself in the senior team. Over the past 12 months, his performances have caught the eye of several clubs in England, Scotland, and abroad.
West Ham were reportedly willing to sign Charles and loan him back to Wednesday. They were also willing to cover his wages and agree to include a significant sell-on clause.
However, Chansiri’s demands are believed to have far exceeded what potential buyers, including West Ham, considered realistic, forcing them to withdraw from the deal.
Charles is considered one of the finest goalkeeping talents in the Championship.
The deal would have given West Ham an opportunity to sign a potential world beater while allowing him to continue his development at Hillsborough.
But the club hierarchy decided to walk away rather than meet a price they deemed excessive, and it could be the right call.
The Hammers should be focusing on plugging the many holes in their squad, starting in midfield.
They have been linked with several players throughout the course of the transfer window, but no deal has materialised yet.
The Hammers moved on from a deal for Mateus Fernandes due to Southampton’s unrealistic demands.
They have now turned their attention to [Feyenoord midfielder Quinten Timber](https://westhamblog.co.uk/posts/west-ham-turn-to-feyenoord-ace-quinten-timber-as-club-step-up-midfielder-search/).