Will Shea Charles transform Fulham's midfield?
Jack Stroudley looks at who looks set to be our latest recruit.
It looks like we’re about to land our fourth player of the summer, as midefielder Shea Charles gets the “Here we go” treatment.
The Northern Irishman will sign from Championship side Southampton for a reported £25.6m with add-ons taking it to a potential £30m.
Fulham have needed a new midfielder for what feels like an eternity and have put down a significant fee for a player from England’s second tier, but just how good is Charles?
The fact file
Shea Charles spent the entirety of his youth career at Manchester City and was at the club from 2011 to 2023. The now 22-year-old really shone at U23 level, winning the PL2 in 2021-22 while also training with the first team. Charles continued to play developmental football but was rewarded with his only appearance for City, in May 2023 as a substitute against Brentford in a 1-0 defeat.
Charles signed for Southampton in the summer of 2023 where he went on to play 32 times during a campaign that saw the Saints promoted to the Premier League. He failed to make a major impact, with half of his appearances coming from the bench. He also failed to pick-up any goal contributions in first full professional campaign.
Southampton sent Charles back to the Championship in 24-25 on loan with Sheffield Wednesday where he began to show the type of player he is. Charles was a mainstay in the Owls side and picked up the club’s Player of the Year award and was nominated for EFL Young Player of the Season.
Following their disappointing Premier League campaign in 24-25, Charles found himself as a starter for Southampton in the Championship last season. He picked up an injury in October - which saw him out until January - but was exceptional in the second half of the year under Tonda Eckert.
Charles picked up five goal contributions in his 31 appearances in a Championship campaign that ended in controversial style for the Saints. He also scored against Arsenal to secure a FA Cup semi-final place.
A deeper dive
Fulham have been in need of a new midfielder for a while, but how will Charles fit into it?
Here is Shea Charles heat map for last season and there’s a few interesting points to take from it.
- Positional discipline: Charles consistently patrols the right-hand side throughout the game, showing a clear understanding of his positional responsibilities within the team structure.
- Variation in positioning: There is, however, a noticeable deviation in the zones he occupies during the first phase of play, with Charles moving into more central areas. This suggests he is given the responsibility to drop in, receive the ball, and help initiate forward attacks.
- Movement to support teammates: The variation in his positioning highlights the frequency and purpose of his movement. Charles consistently looks to make himself available for teammates, showing a willingness to take responsibility when his side are in possession.
That sums up how he played last season, but how does this compare to Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic? I’ve taken a few stats per 90 minutes for all three players to compare (one caveat is that Charles obviously played at a lower level)
There are a few takeaways from this.
- A livewire in the box: Charles is above both Berge and Lukic for shots and touches in the opposition box, and is above Berge for chances created. Fulham have lacked goals in midfield since the departure of Joao Palhinha and this looks like a step in the right direction.
- A desire to get stuck in: Charles trumps Berge for duels won, tackles and interceptions and isn’t afraid to get involved in that midfield battle while also demonstrating fantastic attacking capabilities.
- Will look to create: Charles is three times more likely to get the ball and drive forward than Berge going off of his successful dribbles, indicating that while he will get involved in the defensive side of things, he also wants to create.
Yes or no?
This is an obvious “Yes!”. Fulham desperately need a midfielder and going for a young, exciting and already proven option is a breath of fresh air compared to previous transfer strategies.
Charles still needs to adjust to the top level, but he’s got all the capabilities to shine at Fulham. It’s bold, it’s brash, it’s ambitious - and it’s brilliant.
But we need a strong, experienced and charismatic leader. We don't have anyone like that. Otherwise it risks all this promising young talent going to waste / melting under pressure.