Man Utd join race for £20m-rated Southampton star who delivered Arsenal FA Cup KO

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Manchester United are among the clubs keeping a close eye Shea Charles ahead of the summer as transfer interest in the Southampton midfielder heats up.

The Northern Ireland international, 22, made headlines over the weekend when he scored the goal that dumped Arsenal out of the FA Cup to guarantee Southampton - currently seventh in the Championship - a semi-final date with Manchester City at Wembley later this month.

Charles and Tonda Eckert's side are also well position in the Championship play-off race as the 2025-26 campaign nears a conclusion - but the vultures are already circling when it comes to the midfielder who the Saints snapped up for £11m back in 2023.

The Mail report that United and Everton are among the teams looking at Charles, who is also being courted by Rangers. The Scottish giants are managed by Danny Rohl, who the midfielder excelled under during a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, although it is unlikely Rangers would be able to compete financially with Premier League sides.

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It is no secret that Manchester United are planning to overhaul their midfield in the summer transfer window and have already been linked with a swathe of names in recent weeks, including the likes of Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali .

While both of those players would command significant transfer fees, the report adds that United are also tracking targets at the other end of the market in case they fail to qualify for the Champions League , with Charles said to be rated at £20m by his club. At least one midfielder is expected to arrive at Old Trafford this summer with Casemiro already confirmed to be departing. There is also interest in Manuel Ugarte, who has underwhelmed since joining the club in 2024.

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Intriguingly, United's current director of football, Jason Wilcox , was in power at Southampton when Charles was signed from Manchester City back in 2023.

The young midfielder was acquired as a replacement for Romeo Lavia, who was sold to Chelsea , and made a strong early impression before falling out of favour during Russell Martin's tenure.

Two other Premier League sides are also believed to be keen on Charles, who has made 34 appearances for Southampton this term, scoring four goals.

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