Sheffield Wednesday wait on decision after League One enquiry for exciting talent
Everybody around Sheffield Wednesday knows how highly-rated their young goalkeeper, Pierce Charles, has become.
The youngster, who only recently turned 19, has had quite the year so far as he went from impressing in the U21 ranks to making his professional debut and receiving his first senior call-up for Northern Ireland. Over the summer he shone at the U19 European Championship, and Owls boss, Danny Röhl, has been full of praise for his potential.
Last weekend he put in a strong showing against Werder Bremen as he showcased not just his well-known quality with his ball at his feet, but also his genuine goalkeeping ability – on a number of occasions he made strong saves to keep the Germans at bay.
But there are question marks on his immediate future as the 2024/25 season approaches, with things having been made more complex by a recent injury to new signing, Ben Hamer, that has pushed him up the pecking order.
The Star understands that League One outfit, Crawley Town, have made an enquiry about taking the talented teen on loan for the season, but with Hamer out he is now second to James Beadle for a spot in Röhl’s XI. And Wednesday can’t really afford to let him leave.
It may be that he still moves on, depending on what happens between now and the close of the window, but even if he’s still at Middlewood Road come September 1st he can still head out for more regular game time via emergency loans or into the National League.
Wednesday have been very impressed with Charles’ development since joining the club from Manchester City’s academy in 2021, and is seen as a future number one at Hillsborough going forward. With that in mind the club are eager to make sure they get his pathway right.
And for now that may well include deciding against sending him out on loan so that he can continue his work with Sal Bibbo, and possibly even feature in Owls colours as the new campaign gets underway – an interesting few weeks lie ahead.