Fulham agree up to £30m deal for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles

Published Aug 9, 12:20 PM UTC

Fulham have agreed a deal with Southampton to sign midfielder Shea Charles for an upfront fee of £26m, with a further £4m in performance-related add-ons, making the total potential value £30m. The 22-year-old Northern Irish international will undergo a medical on Monday and sign a five-year contract, becoming the most expensive Northern Irish footballer ever. Charles joined Southampton from Manchester City in 2023 and has made 76 appearances, including a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday. In the 2025-26 season, he scored six goals and provided two assists in 38 matches as Southampton reached the Championship play-offs. The transfer follows Fulham's sales of Sasa Lukic to Ipswich Town and the departures of Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, as well as the arrivals of Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios from Real Madrid under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa.