Sheffield Wednesday star Pierce Charles gives update on his future as transfer interest mounts
Sheffield Wednesday shot-stopper Pierce Charles is attracting plenty of attention ahead of the summer transfer window opening on June 15.
Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles is currently relaxed about his future amid mounting interest in his signature ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
The Wednesday shot-stopper, 20, is understood to be attracting plenty of interest from clubs in the Premier League and overseas, including French outfit RC Strasbourg, who have been keen on signing him for the best part of a year.
Charles earned his 11th senior cap for Northern Ireland in midweek, storing 45 minutes under his belt as they beat Guinea 1-0 in a low-key international friendly in Spain, and he is set to feature again when Michael O’Neill’s side take on France on Monday evening.
Following Wednesday’s relegation to League One this season, the Owls have a fight on their hands to try and keep hold of arguably their biggest asset. He is approaching the final year of his contract, but he is understood to have entered exploratory discussions over a new deal at Hillsborough.
However, with so many suitors circling, Wednesday could find it difficult to keep hold of the former Manchester City youngster, who made 21 appearances for Henrik Pedersen’s side across all competitions this season.
Despite growing interest in his services, Charles is currently not fazed by ongoing speculation, insisting his primary focus is on the game with France and then getting the opportunity to recharge the batteries ahead of next term.
Asked about his future, Charles told the Belfast Telegraph: “I’m not really focusing on that. After the ten days in camp working I’ll focus on resting and enjoying my summer.
"You never know what might happen. We’ll see what happens when it comes to it.”
The tussle with France at the Decathlon Arena on the outskirts of Lille will mark Didier Deschamps’ side’s final outing before they take on Senegal in their World Cup opener on June 16. Northern Ireland, of course, missed out on qualifying for this summer’s showpiece event, being beaten 2-0 by Italy at the semi-final stage of the play-offs in March.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Charles said about the prospect of facing a star-studded France side. “When it got announced, I was buzzing for it.
“They’re the games you want to play in and teams you want to play against. Obviously they’re an amazing team but we’re going to go out there and give it our all.
“There’s definitely the potential to be busy, though we’re not going there to let them play all over us. They’re a quality team, so that might just happen, but we’re going to play our own football.”